Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project: Assessing Initial Impacts on Self-Help Group Members

The Government of Bihar in India initiated the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (JEEViKA) with financial support from the World Bank to address rural poverty in the state. The project is implemented by Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS) and it aims to enhance socio-economic empowerment of rural poor by creating self-managed community institutions and enhancing income through sustainable livelihoods. The SIPA team conducted an evaluation of the program to assess changes in socio-cultural life of SHG members including changes in their economic life, such as reduction in the high cost of debt from informal sources, increased access to finance, and income from different livelihoods interventions; and provided suggestions for future directions of the project with respect to ongoing interventions.