Bihar Cabinet Clears Mahila Rojgar Yojana for Women’s Jobs

In a progressive step towards women empowerment and economic inclusion, the Bihar government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, approved the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana on August 29, 2025. The scheme aims to promote self-employment among women through financial assistance and infrastructural support, helping improve livelihoods and reduce out-migration.

Scheme Highlights: Financial Support for Women Entrepreneurs

At the core of the scheme is the provision of ₹10,000 as initial financial aid to one woman per family in Bihar. This amount will be directly transferred to the beneficiary’s bank account via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), ensuring transparency and timely disbursal.

Key features include

• Applications opening soon with transfers to begin in September 2025.
• After six months of activity, beneficiaries will undergo a performance review.
• Depending on the outcome, they may receive additional support of up to ₹2 lakh to scale their business or employment activity.

Promoting Self-Reliance and Rural Entrepreneurship

The scheme envisions a bottom-up model of development, encouraging women to choose employment activities of their preference, such as,

• Small-scale manufacturing
• Handicrafts and artisan work
• Dairy, poultry, or agriculture-based entrepreneurship

Retail and services

To further assist these ventures, the government will establish haat bazaars (local markets) across villages, towns, and cities, enabling women to showcase and sell their products directly, reducing dependence on intermediaries.

Broader Socioeconomic Goals

The initiative aligns with Bihar’s broader development strategy and aims to,

• Generate large-scale employment for rural and semi-urban women.
• Enhance family income and living standards.
• Reduce forced migration, especially among economically weaker households.
• Foster local economic resilience by promoting homegrown enterprises.