Upcoming Bihar Polls, a Blessing in Disguise for Hundreds of Struggling Jeevika Didis

Patna: Amid fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, hundreds of women associated with self-help groups (SHGs) in Bihar, locally known as Jeevika Didis, have been struggling for survival. But the Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in October-November, have come as a blessing in disguise for these women.

After already making more than two crore masks, hundreds of Jeevika Didis, such as Purnima Devi, Rekha Kumari, Minu Devi and Shahnaz Bano, are now busy making masks for polling officials at booths and on field duty.

“My husband, who was working as a salesman in a garment shop, was rendered jobless during lockdown. Two months ago, I earned some money by making masks that helped us to survive. Now, I have again got an opportunity to earn some money by making masks for polling officials”, Purnima, an SHG member at a village under Naubatpur block in Patna district, said.

Purnima,a mother of three minors, is happy that at least she will earn some money to manage her family, as her husband has still not been able to get a job despite trying hard for days.

“There is no other source of livelihood for us. I make masks for hours to earn something”, said Purnima, who belongs to a landless family.

Rekha, a Class 10th pass member of another SHG at Kako in Jehanabad district, has been making masks at her home. “This is the second time in the past five months during lockdown that we are making masks. Earning from making masks is a big help for people like us”, she said.

Rekha, whose husband was working as a street vendor till the lockdown began in late March, lost his source of livelihood and spent the little savings that he had to survive till June. He later received some monetary help from a close relative, but that too is running out, she said.

Early this month, Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) had placed an order with SHGs under the Jeevika programme to make six lakh masks for polling officials. The masks will have slogans on voter awareness printed on them.

Meanwhile, there are clear indications from the Election Commission that Assembly elections in Bihar will be held on time, later this year.

As of now, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising Janata Dal- United, Bharatiya Janata Party, Lok Janshakti Party etc, in the state looks like a house divided. The Opposition parties, including Left parties, have repeatedly questioned why the state government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar wanted to go ahead with the elections instead of focussing on the fight against COVID-19 and neglecting the misery of over 8.1 million people affected by the floods.

Balamurugan Devaraj, CEO-cum-State Mission Director of the Jeevika programme, said: “We hope that mask making will help them (the SHGs) and will contribute to fight the novel coronavirus and to combat its spread”.

The mask-making work has come as relief for Jeevika Didis, most of whom are from poor families.

Devaraj said earlier Jeevika Didis made cost-effective masks that were distributed among frontline health workers and rural people, mainly the poor, to fight the novel coronavirus and to combat its spread.

The Jeevika Didis also played an important role in creating awareness against COVID-19.

Notably, the Bihar government made masks mandatory two months ago and earned Rs 87,000 from the fine imposed on people found not wearing face. This has resulted in growth of demand for masks.

With COVID-19 cases growing in Bihar, the fear is palpable. What is alarming is that positive cases are now being reported from rural areas, which had been untouched till recently.

Bihar reported 3,257 fresh COVID cases on Tuesday taking the total to 1,09,875 and deaths of 542 due to COVID.

Devaraj claimed Bihar was the first state in the country with 10 lakh SHGs of women under Jeevika. Nearly 1.20 crore women are part of the network. “We have recently achieved the target of 10 lakh SHGs of women, who have been engaged in different activities, including agriculture, tailoring, embroidery, handicraft, animal husbandry, banking and small enterprises at grass root level in rural areas”, he said.

The Jeevika programme was launched by the state government with assistance from the World Bank in 2006, with the objective of promoting rural livelihoods and enhancing social and economic empowerment of the poor, particularly women.