In a major move to enhance early childhood care and support rural livelihoods, the Bihar government will provide two sets of uniforms each year to over 52 lakh children aged 3 to 6 enrolled in Anganwadi centres. The stitching work will be undertaken by Jeevika Didis, women from self-help groups under the Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society.
On Tuesday, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Jeevika, formalising their collaboration. The agreement was signed by Jeevika CEO Himanshu Sharma and ICDS Director Amit Kumar Pandey, in the presence of Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar and Social Welfare Minister Madan Sahni.
Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar announced that sewing centres equipped with 100 machines will be set up in old buildings across all 534 blocks of Bihar. He highlighted that since 2006, around 20 lakh Jeevika Didis have become Lakhpati Didis, significantly boosting their economic status.
Currently, 48,232 women in the state own sewing machines, and 92,608 machines are actively used by self-help group members. The new initiative is projected to generate a turnover exceeding ₹200 crore and promote doorstep employment opportunities for rural women.
Social Welfare Minister Madan Sahni shared the government’s vision of empowering Jeevika Didis to eventually stitch over one lakh sarees for Anganwadi sevikas and sahayikas, in addition to children’s uniforms. He noted that earlier, children received ₹250 for uniforms, which was later raised to ₹400, but many still did not benefit due to delivery issues. To address this, the government has now entrusted the responsibility of tailoring directly to Jeevika Didis, ensuring better implementation and accountability.
Social Welfare Department Secretary Bandana Preyashi stated that the initiative would not only provide both summer and winter uniforms for children but also boost the rural economy. Rural Development Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh added that Jeevika Didis can avail loans from their self-help group-linked banks if additional funds are needed to expand their operations.
This move is expected to generate sustainable employment for thousands of rural women while enhancing the quality of services and experience at Anganwadi centres across Bihar.
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