Introduction
The Government of Bihar’s Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS) has launched the Satat Jeevikoparjan Yojana Shahari (SJY Urban), in a bid to tackle the complexities of urban poverty. The multi-faceted program has been designed to provide a range of interventions that have been carefully chosen to address food security, social inclusion, and sustainable economic livelihoods to enable participating households to achieve a better quality of life.
Overview
The SJY Urban initiative is designed to ensure that the most disadvantaged members of society are able to access the necessary resources needed to improve their quality of life. The scheme supports households living in densely populated urban areas and aims to alleviate poverty in a sustainable manner by providing access to employment opportunities, financial inclusion, and decent housing and other basic infrastructure.
The program provides a range of interventions, such as:
• Creating livelihood opportunities, including self-employment, and skills training.
• Facilitating access to financial services and credit.
• Promoting access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and housing.
• Supporting the development of institutional structures for collective action and cooperation.
• Encouraging the participation of civil society and private sector organisations in tackling poverty.
• Facilitating the development of innovative models of urban poverty alleviation.
• Improving the capacity of local government to deliver high-quality services.
Key Components
The scheme is underpinned by a number of key components, including:
• Supporting the formation and strengthening of existing ‘self-help’ structures, such as self-help groups (SHGs).
• Providing financial services such as the ability to access credit, social security, and savings accounts.
• Increasing access to affordable housing and other basic infrastructure.
• Supporting the development of market-based livelihoods, including access to vocational training.
• Developing mechanisms for collective action and cooperation to ensure effective implementation of the scheme.
• Ensuring the provision of appropriate health and education services.
• Supporting the involvement of civil society organisations and private sector organisations in tackling poverty.
• Encouraging the use of technology to facilitate access to credit, financial services, and other resources.
Impact
The SJY Urban initiative has the potential to transform the lives of people living in urban poverty in Bihar. By providing access to resources and services, and by utilizing innovative approaches to addressing urban poverty, the scheme is hoped to promote economic growth and create more equitable and sustainable communities.
The scheme is designed to empower individuals and households by providing access to funding, skills development, and employment opportunities. This will enable individuals and households to access the tools and resources needed to lift them out of poverty and to build better lives and brighter futures for themselves and their families.
Conclusion
The Satat Jeevikoparjan Yojana Shahari (SJY Urban) is a bold and ambitious scheme designed to tackle the complexities of urban poverty in Bihar. By providing access to resources and services, the scheme will empower individuals and households to access the tools and resources needed to lift them out of poverty and to build better lives and brighter futures for themselves and their families. The scheme is likely to have a huge impact on the lives of those living in urban poverty, and could represent a turning point in the fight against poverty in Bihar.
