Stories of Bihar women entrepreneurs to be showcased during G20 events

The Bihar government will highlight the rise of rural women entrepreneurs breaking all barriers and the success of the World Bank-backed village livelihood programme Jeevika' among several other socio-economic programmes during G-20 events to be held here in June, an official said on Saturday.

The G20 meetings in Patna are expected to be held on themes such as women and future of work and upskilling of the women workforce in tech-intensive work environment.

During two-day G-20 programmes on June 22 and 23, the Bihar government will showcase women's upliftment and development in the rural sector, besides the state's rich cultural heritage.

How rural women are defying odds to become entrepreneurs in Bihar through different initiatives taken by the state government, how Jeevika' has become a revolution and changed the lives of rural women and their families will be presented before G20 delegates, Art and Culture department secretary Bandana Preyashi said.

She also said how women in Bihar are interested in joining the police, and their success stories in different fields, the state's soft power and its varied history will also be showcased through cultural programmes and exhibitions during the G-20 events.

At least five success stories of Bihar's women, their struggle in a patriarchal society and how they have helped transform the lives of other women with the support of several initiatives by the state government, including Jeevika, will be highlighted through cultural events and displays during the visit of the G20 engagement groups, Preyashi said.

Delegates will also be able to learn about Bihar's "one-district-one-product" scheme to boost local entrepreneurs, she said.

The state government has also planned several cultural events to give delegates a glimpse of the amazing history of Bihar.

We have listed some iconic monuments from the state so that delegates can learn about the history of Bihar through cultural events and exhibitions. They will also be able to know about Vaishali, an archaeological site located around 45 km away from the state capital, at the exhibitions," the official said.

The cultural events will elaborate the history and heritage of Bihar through musical gigs, display of archival photographs, live performances by traditional artists and also through displays of work by state artisans, she said.

Bihar Museum, Patna Sahib Gurudwara, and two world heritage sites in Gaya and Rajgir are on the list for sightseeing for G20 delegates.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on several occasions in the past praised the work being done by rural women associated with JEEVIKA, a part of his government's rural livelihoods project, to improve the economic status of their families.

The number of 'Jeevika' didis, the self-help group women, has increased to 1.30 crore in the state. They are doing splendid jobs, and this model (Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project) has ensured women's empowerment in a big way. Their work is earning appreciation from different parts of the world, the CM had told media persons in Katihar in February.

The two-day events in June are part of India's G20 Presidency.

The G20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries - Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and the US and the European Union.