Profile characteristics of rural women beneficiaries under the Jeevika programme in Samastipur district of Bihar

Introduction

Rural women play a vital role in agricultural production, household management and the socio-economic development of rural communities. Their active participation in farming, livestock rearing, income-generating activities and family welfare makes them an indispensable component of rural livelihoods (Sawandkar et al., 2022) [9] . However, despite their significant contributions, rural women often face challenges such as limited access to education, financial resources, productive assets, decision-making opportunities and institutional support, which restrict their overall development (Kansotia et al., 2023) [4] . Improving the socioeconomic conditions of rural women is therefore essential for enhancing their participation in development processes and enabling them to contribute more effectively to household and community welfare (Meher et al., 2025) [5] . The overall development of rural women depends on several interrelated social, economic, psychological, political and cultural factors that influence their quality of life and participation in rural development programmes (Tayde and Chole, 2010) [15] . Better access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, financial services and community institutions enables rural women to improve their livelihoods, participate actively in local development activities and make informed decisions regarding their families and economic activities (Pattnaik and Rout, 2025) [6] . Consequently, strengthening the socio-economic status of rural women has become an important priority for promoting inclusive rural development, reducing gender disparities and achieving sustainable development goals (Vaishnavi and Ramesh, 2023) [16] . JEEViKA, officially known as the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project, is the flagship rural poverty alleviation programme of the Department of Rural Development, Government of Bihar, implemented under the framework of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) (Rajpoot et al., 2023a) [8] . Since its launch in 2006, the programme has witnessed remarkable expansion and has evolved into one of India's most successful community-based initiatives dedicated to the empowerment of rural women (Suman and Jahanara, 2022) [13] . The programme operates on the premise that organizing economically disadvantaged rural women into strong community institutions, coupled with continuous capacity building and institutional support, can enable them to overcome poverty, social exclusion and economic vulnerability (Shah et al., 2019) [10] . To achieve these objectives, JEEViKA facilitates the formation and strengthening of women-led community organizations that encourage regular savings, access to credit through internal lending, financial discipline and active participation in livelihood as well as developmental activities. Rural women are mobilized into Self-Help Groups (SHGs), which are further federated into Village Organizations (VOs) and Cluster Level Federations (CLFs). This institutional framework has enhanced collective decision-making, strengthened mutual support among members and increased women's participation in household, social and economic affairs (Anonymous, 2018) [1] . The scale of the programme reflects its significant outreach across Bihar. By March 2022, JEEViKA had supported the establishment of more than 10.35 lakh Self-Help Groups, 67,624 Village Organizations and 1,353 Cluster Level Federations, providing an extensive institutional network for promoting the socio-economic advancement of rural women (Singh, 2023) [11] . Through these community institutions, beneficiaries have gained improved access to financial services, livelihood opportunities and capacity-building interventions, which have strengthened their role in household decision-making and community development. Evidence from earlier studies suggests that participation in JEEViKA and its Self-Help Groups has contributed to improvements in women's economic security, social status, self-confidence and psychological well-being, thereby fostering different dimensions of empowerment (Goswami et al., 2021) [3] . The programme has also encouraged collective action, enhanced livelihood opportunities and created an enabling environment that supports women's active involvement in local development initiatives (Sof et al., 2025) [12] . Although challenges related to gender inequality continue to persist in rural areas, JEEViKA has played a meaningful role in enhancing women's leadership qualities, decision-making ability and confidence while promoting their participation in development processes (Poddar and Sajjan, 2023) [7] . In this context, examining the profile and characteristics of women beneficiaries associated with the programme becomes important for understanding the social and economic background of participants and for understanding the socio-economic background of beneficiaries and supporting programme planning (Singh, 2023) [11] .

Objectives

• To study the profile of beneficiaries of JEEViKA programme.

Methodology 1. Location of the Study

The present investigation was carried out in Samastipur district of Bihar, located in the north-eastern region of the state under the Darbhanga Division. The district was purposively selected for the study because of the widespread implementation of the JEEViKA programme and the relatively larger number of programme beneficiaries compared to many other districts in Bihar. The extensive coverage of JEEViKA in the district provided an appropriate setting for examining the profile characteristics of rural women beneficiaries.

Selection of Block

Samastipur district comprises 20 administrative blocks. Among these, Sarairanjan block was purposively selected for the present study because it has a comparatively higher concentration of active Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and a larger number of JEEViKA beneficiaries than the other blocks in the district. The extensive implementation of the programme in this block made it an appropriate area for conducting the study.

Selection of Respondents

A total of 46 villages in Sarairanjan block were covered under the JEEViKA programme. Among these, four villages-Gangapur Athar, Bathua Buzrug, Bakhri Buzrug and Gaupur-were selected purposively for the present investigation. Thereafter, approximately 2.5 per cent of the beneficiaries from the selected villages were chosen using the proportionate random sampling technique. This procedure resulted in a final sample of 145 JEEViKA beneficiaries for the study.

Research Strategy

The present study employed an ex-post facto research design and a survey research strategy to assess the empowerment of rural women beneficiaries under the JEEViKA programme.

Time Horizon of the Study

The study employed a cross-sectional time horizon, wherein data were collected from the respondents at a single point in time.

Data Collection Method

The required data were collected from the respondents using the survey method.

Data Collection Tool Used

A structured interview schedule was developed to collect relevant information on the profile characteristics of the JEEViKA beneficiaries.

Statistical Analysis

The collected data were analysed using appropriate statistical tools such as frequency and percentage for meaningful interpretation of the findings. The analysis was performed using MS Excel and SPSS software. www.extensionjournal.com [14] ; (Shah et al., 2019) [10] ; (Sawandkar et al., 2022) [9] ; (Vaishnavi & Ramesh, 2023) [16] ; (Suman & Jahanara, 2022) [13] ; (Deepa & Bose,2024) [2] ; (Sof et al., 2025) [12] ; (Pattnaik & Rout, 2025) [6] .

Conclusion

The study provides a comprehensive overview of the profile characteristics of rural women beneficiaries associated with the JEEViKA programme in Samastipur district of Bihar. The findings revealed that most beneficiaries were middle-aged, had primary level education, belonged to medium-sized families and were engaged in farming along with business activities. A considerable proportion of the respondents also exhibited favourable behavioural and communication characteristics, including high risk orientation, positive attitude towards JEEViKA activities, high social participation and strong extension contact. These profile attributes reflect the socio-economic and behavioural background of the programme beneficiaries and offer valuable insights for researchers, extension professionals and policymakers. Such information can serve as a useful basis for designing need-based interventions and strengthening the planning and implementation of rural development programmes targeting women.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors gratefully acknowledge Ms. Nidhi Singh (PM-RD), Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS), JEEViKA, Patna, for granting permission and extending the necessary support to conduct the study. The authors also express their sincere appreciation to the rural women beneficiaries of Samastipur district for their valuable cooperation, active participation and willingness to share the information required for the successful completion of the research. www.extensionjournal.com Maheshwaram Mandal of Rangareddy District, India. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 2019;8(7):1597-1605. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.807.190 15. Tayde VV, Chole RR. Empowerment appraisal of rural women in Marathwada region of Maharashtra State. Indian Research Journal of Extension Education. 2010;10(1):33-37. 16. Vaishnavi P, Ramesh P. Relationship between profile characteristics of women SHG members and their empowerment through TNCDW in Cuddalore district. Gujarat Journal of Extension Education. 2023;35(2):55-58. https://doi.org/10.56572/gjoee.2023.35.2.0012

References

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