Bihar’s Sustainable Livelihood Scheme Emerges as Global Model for Poverty Alleviation; Sri Lanka, ADB Delegation Lauds Initiative
Patna: Bihar’s flagship Sustainable Livelihood Scheme (SJY) is fast gaining international recognition for its transformative impact on poverty alleviation. Since its launch in 2018, the scheme has empowered over 2.1 lakh ultra-poor families by connecting them with development opportunities and sustainable income sources.
During a special Immersion and Learning Exchange (ILE) session organized in Patna, Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena detailed the remarkable progress of SJY before a visiting 28-member delegation from Sri Lanka and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The delegation is in Bihar to study the grassroots success of SJY and explore its potential as a replicable model in other developing regions.
Highlighting recent milestones, Meena shared that the state has also launched ‘Jeevika Nidhi’, a cooperative union to financially support women-led self-help groups. He also noted the recent inauguration of the Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum-cum-Stupa in Vaishali by CM Nitish Kumar, a symbol of deep cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s Additional Secretary of Rural Development, H.T.R.N. Piyasen, praised SJY’s tangible ground-level impact and expressed interest in implementing a similar program in her country. She said the visit offered valuable insights into scalable solutions for poverty eradication.
Rural Development Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh emphasized the pride Bihar takes in sharing its success model with friendly nations. “It’s encouraging to see Sri Lanka looking at SJY as a roadmap to fight poverty. Such collaborations can lead to stronger regional partnerships,” he noted.
Development Commissioner Pratyaya Amrit called the Jeevika-led initiative “a model of women-led empowerment, transparency, and collective participation,” adding that this global engagement allows Bihar to showcase its grassroots innovation on an international stage.
In closing remarks, Special Officer Rajesh Kumar of Jeevika highlighted that just as Lord Buddha spiritually connects India and Sri Lanka, SJY can become a bridge for joint efforts against poverty. He welcomed further exchange visits between professionals from both countries.
The ILE program is jointly coordinated by Jeevika, BRAC International, and Bandhan Konnagar, and serves as a platform for national and international stakeholders to observe and learn from Bihar’s poverty alleviation efforts. So far, delegations from Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, and Ethiopia have visited Bihar under this initiative.
With growing international interest, Bihar’s SJY is emerging as a beacon of hope for poverty-stricken communities across the Global South.
