Government of Bihar

Different schemes are being implemented for an inclusive development of women under the following five-point strategy.

• Development and strengthening at policy level and legal structure
• Education and organization of the community and Society
• Enhancing girls access to formal schools and quality of those Schools
• Provision of opportunities of economic support, encouragement and employment to women and girls
• Ensuring self reliance though awareness, training, skills and organization

50 percent reservation to women in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban bodies laid the foundations of a social revolution as it aimed at providing equal rights, equal social status and equal opportunities to women. The initiative was the pioneer in the entire country. This paved way for women’s respectful partnership in local self governance as policy makers. Election of more than 50 percent women to all the tiers of the three-tier panchayati raj system created a historical record. Later on this pattern was followed by Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttarakhand.

• 50 percent reservation has been provided to women in primary school teaching in order to ensure equal employment opportunities to them.
• 50 percent reservation to women in appointing primary school teachers through panchayati raj institutions and urban bodies in their own categories.
• Land is being purchased in the name of female member of the family under state government’s policy decision to provide land purchasing tax scheme to the Mahadalit landless families.

Mukhyamantri Balika Poshak Yojana has been started with a view to attract girls and their guardians towards schools. A fixed amount of rupees 600 for Class I, II / 700 for Class III to V and 1000 for Class VI to VIII is provided to the girls studying regularly in classes 1-8 to purchase school uniforms. Bihar Shatabdi Mukhyamantri Balika Poshak Yojana provides the fixed amount of rupees 1500 to purchase uniforms to the girls regularly attending classes 9-12 in schools/inter colleges of the state government from the year 2011-12 onwards.

Many girls used to drop-out after middle school because high schools were located at a distant place from their home. Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana has been started in the year 2007 to facilitate regular studies of such girls. Under this scheme, a one-time financial aid of rupees 3000 is given to the girls studying in standard 9. The scheme has benefitted more than 67 Lac school girls so far and has brought revolutionary change in the society.

Mukhyamantri Balika Protsahan Yojana aims at providing an incentive amount of Rs. 10,000 to the girls securing first division in matriculation examination.

Buildings of 530 Kasturba Gandhi Vidyalayas constructed, 535 Kasturba Gandhi Vidyalayas in operation with an enrolment of 50381 girls. Out of this, approximately half of girls belong to scheduled castes and 4,245 girls are from minority communities.

Higher secondary schools are being established in each gram panchayat as a compliance of state government’s policy decision. This will enable girls’ access to higher secondary education and will also be helpful in stabilising population.

Ratio of boys and girls appeared in the annual examination of standard 10 was 67:33 in the year 2005 which now rose to 50:50 as a result of the state government’s efforts for ensuring better educational status of girls.

Implementation of Mukhyamantri Akshar Anchal Yojana (from 2009-10) made more than 67 lac women literate. 20 percent decadal increase in women’s literacy was recorded in the Census 2011. This achievement led our state to receive national level award. Mahadalit, Alpsankhyak and Extremely Backward Class Akshar Anchal Yojana has been started in the year 2013. The objective is to provide Elementary education to the women and to link the deprived children of the above category to school. For this an amount Rs. 32,500 Lac has been sanctioned for the year 2019-20. Since the inception of the scheme in the year 2013 67.20 lac women at 27138 centres has been benefitted and 17.36 lac deprived children has been enrolled in the main stream of education.

Bihar witnessed the maximum increase in women’s literacy and literacy among SCs/ STs in the entire nation during the decade of 2001-2011. The achievement led our state to receive national level award.

Formulation of state action plan for the self help group’s movement aiming at integrated development and empowerment of the women belonging to poor and vulnerable section. Jeevika project aims at forming 10 Lac self help groups that will have a participation of 1.5 crore women. The intervention will provide income opportunities to BPL families residing in rural areas. Credit linkages established with banks from the year 2007 onwards through Jeevika. This aims at enhancing small savings. Significant progress has been recorded in the fields of institutions building, capacity building and financial inclusion. Jeevika has been successful in creating a sound and sustainable base of self help groups and their federations. A total of 8.15 lac women’s self help groups covering 88.16 Lac families were formed till 2015. At present 50023 village organisations and 820 cluster level federations are in operations. Jeevika’s financial inclusion made splendid progress in terms of 6.02 lac self help groups linked to banks.

Thousands of girls belonging to minority groups have been given vocational training of 20 different trades under ‘Hunar’ programme. They have also been provided with tool-kits under ‘Auzar’ programme for supporting them to begin self-employment and to gain self-reliance. 1,21,700 women belonging to minority, scheduled castes/tribes, backward and extremely backward communities have been trained so far. Under Hunar-V in the year 2019-20, 1,50,000 trainees are targeted of giving training in different skills.

Tarang- 2019, Bihar interuniversity cultural fest was organized by pataliputra university in Patna with an endeavour to connect the gennext with the rich culture, heritage, art and culture of the state. 1,000 boys and girls participated in the different event.

Remarkable achievement has been recorded in institutional deliveries under ‘Janani Bal Suraksha Yojana’. Health protection was provided to pregnant women and nursing mothers through trained health workers like ASHA and MAMTA. Health Department observed year 2011 as safe Motherhood year as a step towards women’s empowerment. Only 4 percent women used to visit hospitals for institutional delivery in the year 2006-07. The percent now rose to 47.

The infant mortality rate of the state was 61 per thousand births in the year 2005 which has reduced to 35 per thousand births at present. Our efforts culminated in an increase in the regular immunisation percentage from 18.6 in the year 2005 to 84 percent in the year 2018-19. This is even higher than the national average. The maternal mortality rate which was 312 in the year 2005 reduced to 165 in the 2018-19. Average life expectancy of the women of Bihar has also increased from 61.6 years in 2006 to 68.5 years in 2016.

Establishment of the new women battalion of Bihar Armed Forces. Establishment of Women Police Stations in all the districts. 35 percent additional reservation to women in direct recruitment for the post of constable to junior inspector in police force. Process in going on for establishing a special battalion consisting of scheduled caste women.

Bihar State Women Empowerment Policy, 2015 has been approved and adopted in March 2015 for social, economic, political and cultural advancement of the women and to bring them in national mainstream of development. The policy strives for eliminating gender based discrimination, caste and structural hindrances restricting women’s access to social, economic, political, educational and health related resources. It will also ensure women’s judicious access to resources and creation of a conducive environment. The policy has been dedicated to the people by Hon'ble Chief Minister on March 22, 2015 during the inaugural session of Bihar Diwas, 2015. A consultation workshop was organized in order to formulate and integrated plan of action for the implementation of the Women Empowerment Policy. The integrated action plan has been approved by the committee headed by Chief Secretary, Bihar.

• Establishment of Gender Resource Centre for capacity building on laws and acts related to violence and to conduct advocacy on issues related to women empowerment.
• Working Women Hostel being operated in Patna district to provide safe accommodation to working women.
• Pre-examination training to the girls through pre-examination training centres. Students’ Guidance Centres established in 2011 at Chandragupta Maurya Management Institute for scheduled caste girls.
• Training on computer, accounting, tally, DTH installation, spoken english and beautician to 30 percent Mahadalit women out of total trainees through Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission under Dashrath Manjhi Kaushal Vikas Yojana and to schedule caste women under Scheduled Caste sub-plan of Special Central Assistance Scheme.

Selection of Vikas Mitras at each Panchayat (rural) and ward/ ward group (urban) dominated by Mahadalit community. This aims at an effective implementation of the various development and welfare schemes targeting the said community. 50 percent reservation to women in the selection of Vikas Mitras.

Women Helpline have been established and made functional in 38 district of State under ‘Mukhyamantri Nari Shakti Yojana’ to provide free psychological and legal aid to the victims of domestic violence.

Mukhyamantri Nari Shakti Yojana stands to provide psychological consultation medical or legal aid to the victims of domestic violence, sexual harassment and other social malice. The scheme also has the components like short stay homes, trainings for skill building and capacity building. Short stay homes being operated in 33 districts and selection of agencies for running short stay homes under way. Total 18105 cases has been registered at Short stay homes and out of that total 17944 rehabilitated till date.

Samajik Punarvas Kosh Yojana is in operation in all the districts with a view to rehabilitate survivors of violence and human trafficking. This also provides for financial assistance for the treatment etc. An amount of Rs. 3000 per survivor (out of total 6000 per survivor) is immediately paid to the survivors of human trafficking. Long term stay and rehabilitation centre is in operation at Gola Road, Patna to provide relief to survivors of human trafficking.

Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah Yojana is in operation from the financial year 2007-08. The scheme provides a financial assistance to poor families at the time of marriage of girls after attaining the age of 18 years. The scheme has multiple objectives of encouraging marriage registration, preventing child marriage and encouraging girls’ education. A total of 15,91,139 girls benefitted from the year 2007-08 to 2022-23.

Decision has been taken to award state level prize to one woman and district level prizes to 38 woman (one from every district) for outstanding work in the field of economic and social development, education, health, cultural development, legal awareness, environment conservation under Mukhyamantri Mahila Sashaktikaran Puraskar Yojana. A cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000 (One lac) at state level and Rs. 50,000 (Fifty thousand) at district level along with a citation every year on the eve of International Women Day (8th March) to be provided.

Sabla programme was launched in 12 districts (Patna, Buxar, Gaya, Aurangabad, W. Champaran, Vaishali, Saharsa, Kishanganj, Katihar, Banka and Munger) in the financial year 2011-12 for empowering the adolescent girls (11-18 years). The main focus of the programme is to make the adolescent girls self- reliant, providing skill development training and to provide supplementary nutrition. Total 1.57 Lacs adolescent girls is benefitted through the scheme in the financial year 2019-20.

Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahayog Yojana stands to provide a cash incentive of Rs. 6000 in two installments to the pregnant women first and then to the nursing mothers. Currently the scheme operates in Vaishali and Saharsa.

Initiatives for inclusion of innovative trades and occupations at Women Industrial Training Institutions in all the blocks of the state in order to meet the present demands. The step aims at integrating women in the mainstream of society. Provision of an incentive money of Rs. 150 per month to every enrolled women trained with a view to inculcate interest towards skill building in them.

Plan to establish women industrial training institutions in 22 uncovered district in a phased manner. Such institutions established in 16 districts viz. Patna, Bhagalpur, Ara, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Motihari, Saharsa, Purnea, Munger, Gaya, Siwan, Jehanabad, Forbisganj, Begusarai, Supaul and Saran (chhapara).

Upgradation work going on in for the modernisation and Upgradation of industrial training institutes at Dehri-On-Son, Munger, Hajipur, Begusarai, Buxar, Madhepura, Bettiah, HathuaSupaul, Ghoghardeeha, Veerpur and women industrial training institutions at patna and Muzaffarpur.

Under the Mukhyamantri Bal Ashray Vikas Yojana, construction of various homes and development of other relevant structures for the safe housing and rehabilitation of the beneficiaries of different class groups of the Social Welfare Department, such as children, boys and girls, and their operation, maintenance and monitoring is being done.

• These residential institutions are called mega shelter homes which are to be set up in 12 districts (Bhagalpur, West Champaran, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Katihar Nawada, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Supaul, Zamui, Siwan and Darbhanga)
• Children’s home (boy/girl) and new born baby home etc. are being constructed under this scheme in the same premises under the department.
• The construction cost of each mega shelter home with 200 accommodation capacity is 29.71 crores.
• Inauguration of Big Shelter Homes at Katihar, Nawada and Bhagalpur have been done by Hon'ble Chief Minister’s during Samadhan Yatra on 05.02.2023 and 11.02.2023 respectively.
• The rest of the large shelter homes are under construction, whose work will be completed by the end of the financial year 2023-24.

The situation of girls in Bihar warrants concerted and expeditious efforts, given that female literacy stands just over fifty percent (Census 2011), sex ratio at birth stands at 870 (CRS 2015), more than two in every five drop out of school before completing elementary education (Census 2011) and an equal number get married before turning 18 (NFHS 4). With more than a third of the population living below the poverty line (Planning Commission 2013), financial / cash incentives become an important tool to address these inequalities in the state. To enhance birth registration and SRB, Mukhya Mantri Kanya Utthan Yojana was launched in the state in the year 2008-09. In this Rs 2000/ was transferred to girls born in the BPL family. The scheme is limited to 2 girls per family. Total 11,55,848 number of girls were benefitted under this scheme. As a result of this scheme there has been tremendous increase in the birth registration from abysmal 5.8 to 60.7 hence, 54.9 point percentage increase in birth registration (NFHS –IV) Further, the Government of Bihar introduced the Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana (MKUY) in April 2018, a conditional cash transfer scheme that brings together different programs under Department of Social Welfare, Education Department, and the Health Department into one umbrella scheme, providing seamless coverage from birth to age of 21 years. It aims to encourage birth of the girl child, complete immunization of the girl child, encouraging the girls’ education, eliminate child marriage, and supporting self-reliance among girls, with farther reaching impact on overall social development. The vision is to transform an entire generation of girls through universal access to and utilization of basic services. The scheme is unique in its convergent outlook, adoption of life cycle approach and universal nature. Overall, a girl would receive a total amount of INR 94,100 in different tranches across life stages. INR 2000/- upon birth of girl child, an additional INR 1000/- upon the girl child turning one year old and AADHAAR registration, INR 2000/- upon her turning two years old and on complete immunization. A series of transfers on completing different stages on education until secondary school including INR 300/- per year for menstrual hygiene pads, INR 25,000 on completing class 12 and if the girl remains unmarried, and finally INR 50,000 INR on completing graduation. All cash incentives will be made through direct bank transfers to parent-child account.

The scheme was launched on August 3, 2018 by the Chief Minister of Bihar along with all leading ministers and the deputy Chief Minister, with live transfers to one lakh (one hundred thousand) girls across the different departments. So far, Department of Social Welfare has registered and made the cash transfer to over 75,000 girls (Department of Social Welfare, September 2018). The government attempts to reach out to almost 16 million girls on this scheme over a year.