Finance
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched Bihar’s Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana via video conferencing today. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Prime Minister extended his greetings to all, noting the auspicious occasion of Navratri. He expressed his joy at joining the women of Bihar in their celebrations and remarked that the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana is being launched today. Shri Modi highlighted that 75 Lakh women have already joined this initiative. He announced that ₹10,000 has just been transferred to the bank accounts of each of these 75 lakh women simultaneously.
Shri Modi said while this process was going on he had two thoughts. First, he remarked that today marks a truly significant milestone for the women and daughters of Bihar. When a woman engages in employment or self-employment, her dreams gain new wings and her respect in society grows. Second, the Prime Minister highlighted that had the government not resolved to launch the Jan Dhan Yojana eleven years ago, had over 30 crore women not opened bank accounts under the scheme, and had these accounts not been linked to mobile phones and Aadhaar, it would not have been possible to transfer such funds directly into their bank accounts today. He emphasized that without this infrastructure, the money would have been lost in transit, resulting in grave injustice to the beneficiaries.
Prime Minister remarked that a brother finds true happiness when his sister is healthy, prosperous, and her family is economically strong. He affirmed that a brother does whatever he can to ensure this wellbeing. He stated that today two brothers, himself and Shri Nitish Kumar are working together for the service, prosperity, and dignity of the women of Bihar. The Prime Minister emphasized that today’s programme is a testament to this commitment.
Sharing that he was impressed by the vision of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana when it was first presented to him, the Prime Minister emphasized that every family will have at least one woman beneficiary under this scheme. Starting with an initial financial support of ₹10,000, the scheme can provide up to ₹2 lakh based on the success of the enterprise. Shri Modi urged everyone to consider the magnitude of this initiative. He highlighted that women in Bihar can now open shops selling groceries, utensils, cosmetics, toys, and stationery. They can also pursue livestock-related businesses such as cattle rearing and poultry farming. For all these ventures, necessary training will be provided. He noted that Bihar already has a robust network of self-help groups, with nearly 11 lakh groups actively functioning. This means a well-established system is already in place. “Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to launch the Jeevika Nidhi Credit Cooperative Society. The strength of this system will now be integrated with the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, making the scheme effective across Bihar from its very inception”, stated the Prime Minister.
Highlighting that the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana has further strengthened the Central Government’s Lakhpati Didi campaign, Shri Modi underlined that the Central Government has set a target of creating 3 crore Lakhpati Didis across the country, and over 2 crore women have already achieved this milestone. Their hard work has transformed villages and reshaped society. The Prime Minister noted that in Bihar too, lakhs of women have become Lakhpati Didis. He remarked that with the way governments at Union and State are advancing this initiative, the day is not far when Bihar will have the highest number of Lakhpati Didis in the country.
Shri Modi highlighted that the Central Government’s initiatives such as the Mudra Yojana, Drone Didi campaign, Bima Sakhi campaign, and Bank Didi campaign are all expanding avenues for employment and self-employment for women. He emphasized that the singular goal behind these efforts is to help women realize their dreams by providing them with maximum opportunities.
Noting that the Central Government’s efforts have opened new sectors for women and daughters across the country, the Prime Minister highlighted that today, a large number of young women are joining the armed forces and police, and are even flying fighter jets. However, he urged everyone not to forget the days when Bihar was under opposition rule—the era of lantern governance. During that time, he remarked, women in Bihar bore the brunt of lawlessness and corruption. He recalled how major roads in Bihar were broken, bridges were non-existent, and women suffered the most due to poor infrastructure. During floods, the hardships intensified, with pregnant women unable to reach hospitals on time and lacking access to proper treatment in critical situations. The Prime Minister affirmed that it was his government that helped women come out of these difficult circumstances. He noted that after the arrival of their government at Centre and state, road construction in Bihar gained momentum. He added that efforts to improve connectivity in Bihar are ongoing, and these developments have significantly eased the lives of women in the state.
Noting that he had received information about an exhibition currently being held in Bihar, Shri Modi said that the exhibition displays headlines from old newspapers, which serve as a stark reminder of the atmosphere of fear during the opposition regime in Bihar. The Prime Minister remarked that no household was safe at the time, and the terror of Naxalite violence was unchecked. He emphasized that women bore the greatest pain during those years. From the poor to families of doctors and IAS officers, no one was spared from the atrocities committed by opposition leaders.
Underscoring that under the leadership of Shri Nitish Kumar, the rule of law has been restored in Bihar, and women have been the primary beneficiaries of this change, Shri Modi remarked that daughters of Bihar now step out of their homes without fear and have the freedom to work even late at night. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction at witnessing the large deployment of women police personnel during his visits to Bihar. He urged everyone to collectively pledge that Bihar must never return to the darkness of the past.
Pointing out that when a government formulates policies with women at the center, the benefits extend to other sections of society as well, the Prime Minister cited the Ujjwala Yojana as a powerful example of such transformative change, now recognized globally. He recalled that there was a time when having a gas connection in rural areas was considered a distant dream. Shri Modi further highlighted how poor mothers, sisters, and daughters spent their lives coughing in smoke-filled kitchens, with lung diseases becoming common and even eyesight being lost. In Bihar, he noted, women’s lives were consumed by the burden of collecting firewood. He described the added hardships—during rains, wet wood wouldn’t burn; during floods, firewood would be submerged. Many times, children in the household had to sleep hungry or survive the night eating puffed rice.
Prime Minister stated that this pain is not written in any book—it has been lived by the women of Bihar. He emphasized that when their government began designing policies with women at the center, the picture started to change. Gas connections were delivered to crores of households simultaneously. Today, crores of women are cooking peacefully on gas stoves, free from smoke, and relieved from respiratory and eye diseases. Children at home now receive hot meals every day. The Prime Minister remarked that the Ujjwala gas connections have not only brightened kitchens in Bihar but have also transformed the lives of women.
Affirming that addressing every hardship faced by citizens is the government’s responsibility, Shri Modi recalled that during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government launched a free food grain scheme. Given the immense relief it provided, the decision was made to continue the initiative. Today, under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, over 8.5 crore needy individuals in Bihar are receiving free ration. The Prime Minister emphasized how significantly this scheme has eased public concerns. He cited another example, noting that a large region in Bihar prefers Usna rice. Previously, mothers and sisters were provided Arwa rice through government ration, and had to exchange it in the market for Usna rice—often receiving only 10 kg of Usna rice in return for 20 kg of Arwa rice. The Prime Minister stated that the government took this issue seriously, and has now started providing Usna rice directly through the ration system.
Shri Modi remarked that traditionally, property in India—be it a house, shop, or land—was registered in the name of men. He highlighted that with the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a new provision was introduced to ensure that mothers, sisters, and daughters are also named as owners of these homes. The Prime Minister stated that over 50 lakh PM Awas homes have been constructed in Bihar, and in most of them, women are listed as co-owners. He affirmed that women are now the rightful owners of their homes.
Underlining that when a woman’s health deteriorates, the entire family is affected, Shri Modi recalled a time when women silently endured illnesses, unwilling to let household finances be spent on their treatment. The Prime Minister emphasized that the Ayushman Bharat Yojana has addressed this concern, providing free medical treatment up to ₹5 lakh to lakhs of women in Bihar. He also highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, under which financial assistance is being directly transferred to the bank accounts of pregnant women.
Affirming that the health of citizens, especially women, is a top priority for the government, the Prime Minister announced the launch of a major initiative—Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan—which began on 17th September 2025 on Vishwakarma Jayanti. Under this campaign, over 4.25 lakh health camps are being organized across villages and towns. These camps are conducting screenings for serious ailments such as anemia, blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. Shri Modi highlighted that more than one crore women have already availed free health check-ups through this initiative. He urged all women in Bihar to participate in these camps and ensure they get themselves examined.
Noting that the festive season is underway, with Navratri ongoing, Diwali approaching, and Chhath Puja not far behind, Shri Modi acknowledged that women constantly think about how to manage and save household expenses during this time. To ease this concern, their government has taken a major step by reducing GST rates across the country from 22nd September 2025. As a result, everyday essentials such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo, ghee, and food items will now be available at lower prices. The cost of stationery for children’s education, as well as clothes and footwear for festive occasions, has also come down. The Prime Minister emphasized that this move provides significant relief to women managing household and kitchen budgets. He affirmed that lightening the burden on women and bringing joy to their faces during festivals is a responsibility that their governments at Centre and state take seriously.
Underlining that whenever women in Bihar have been given opportunities, they have brought about transformative change through their courage and determination, the Prime Minister affirmed that the progress of women leads to the progress of society as a whole. He concluded by once again extending his congratulations to the people of Bihar on the launch of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana.
The Chief Minister of Bihar, Shri Nitish Kumar, Union Minister, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh were present among other dignitaries at the event.
Source: PIB
