- Rural women of Dhamtari district are getting empowered through ‘Bihan’
The Chhattisgarh State Rural Livelihood Mission, “Bihan,” operated under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, is becoming a powerful medium for the economic empowerment of rural women. Through this scheme, women in the state are setting new examples of self-reliance by joining self-help groups. The primary objective of “Bihan” is to organize women in rural areas and provide them with self-employment, skill training, and financial assistance, so that they can become financially strong and live with self-respect.
Under the “Bihan” scheme in Dhamtari district, 58 women members have been provided loans for the business of manufacturing and renting centering plates. These include 27 women from the Dhamtari development block, 15 from Kurud, 7 from Magarlod, and 9 from the Nagari development block. These groups were provided financial assistance of ₹15,000 from the RF fund, ₹60,000 from the CIF, and ₹3 lakh as a bank loan after preparing their cases. Using the funds, the women’s groups purchased 59,300 square feet of centering plates. The women are renting these plates for other government construction projects, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural), and in the local market at a rent of ₹20 to ₹25 per square foot. This provides them with regular additional income.
The women in the group have not only taken steps toward self-employment, but are also regularly saving and repaying their loans on time. This has improved the financial situation of their families and enhanced their social standing.
To address the challenge of rural poverty, livelihoods must be promoted to enable them to emerge from poverty. The Dhamtari District Panchayat has provided these self-help groups with financial support and technical guidance, boosting the women’s self-confidence. By joining “Bihan,” women are writing a new story of self-reliance and becoming an inspiration for their families and society. This initiative demonstrates that when women work together in an organized manner, new energy and development possibilities automatically open up in the rural economy.