Rural women seek more facilities, hail govt welfare schemes of Bihar govt

Bhagalpur: Rural women shared their aspirations and challenges with govt officials at several Mahila Samvad Karyakram (MSK) programmes held in Bhagalpur district recently, besides how they and their families benefited from social welfare schemes for women, including rural livelihoods, launched by the state govt. Moreover, women also highlighted the need for greater access to resources, education, and economic opportunities during interaction with the officials.

The MSK, an interactive programme, was started for rural women in the district on April 20. More than 300 MSKs have been held so far out of the total 1,820 MSKs planned, officials said.

Thirty-year-old Nutan Devi of Pirpainty block, while participating in the MSK, sought the intervention of the state govt for opening a college upto graduation level with professional and vocational courses along with traditional streams in Pirpainty block. "This will allow us to receive a good education at the institution near their homes, shaping their careers without travelling to far-off places," she said.

Meanwhile, Rinku Devi, a native of Rifayatpur panchayat in Kahalgaon subdivision, demanded the opening of a 'Jeevika Bank'. The woman said she used to take loans from the Jeevika self-help group for her vocation. The opening of such a bank would institutionalise and regulate the process of obtaining loans for her vocation, she added.

Seventy-year-old Bharti Devi, from another village panchayat in yet another MSK session, brought the attention of district, block, and circle officials to the low pension payments under old-age and widow pension schemes, demanding an increase in the pension amounts.

Several women, including Soni Devi of Deendayalpur in Sahkund block, Manju Devi of Prashastdih in Kahalgaon block and others, raised issues plaguing them. They sought better health services, community toilets, handicap allowances, ration shops in villages, roads, drainage, electricity at panchayat level.

Bhagalpur DM Dr Nawal Kishor Choudhary told this newspaper on Wednesday that women participating in MSKs have shared their views and narrated their aspirations and opinions about the various govt schemes and their expectations, besides providing feedback.

"Today's women do not see themselves merely as home-makers but want to become officers, police personnel, teachers, entrepreneurs, people's representatives, and be in every possible field," said the DM, while narrating his interactions with rural women at the MSKs. The feedback from women is being disseminated through mobile apps and is also being compiled to present before the state govt authorities, he added.