PAIRVI organized a series of five community meetings among women beedi workers in Bihar as part of a follow-up and preparedness exercise linked to the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana. These meetings were conducted across different villages, including Gorsoti on 24 March, Bhawandih–Navadih on 25 March, Gauda–Chandan on 26 March, Dudhaniya on 27 March, and Melani–Akhane on 28 March 2026. The primary objective of these engagements was to facilitate dialogue with women beedi workers who had received financial assistance of Rs.10,000 under the scheme and to assess the utilization, impact, and future potential of this support in strengthening their livelihoods. During the meetings, focused discussions were held to understand how the beneficiaries utilized the financial assistance. Women shared diverse experiences, with some investing the amount in initiating small-scale livelihood activities such as tailoring, petty shops, livestock rearing, and other home-based enterprises, while others reported using the funds to meet urgent household needs, including healthcare, education, or debt repayment. Detailed information was collected from those who had initiated income-generating activities, including the nature of their work, current operational status, challenges faced, and income prospects.
The meetings also served as an important platform to encourage forward planning and sustainability. Participants discussed strategies to scale up their livelihood activities, improve income generation, and access market linkages. Additionally, awareness was provided regarding the process of accessing subsequent instalments under the scheme, including eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and necessary follow-up with local authorities. For those who had not invested the funds in livelihood activities, but consumed in other way, discussions were held to explore feasible income-generating options suited to their context. Overall, these community meetings strengthened awareness, accountability, and motivation among women beedi workers for Government entrepreneurship programme.