Bhagalpur, Dec 19: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s sustained focus on women’s empowerment through livelihood and self-employment initiatives is transforming thousands of lives across the state. Under this vision, Jeevika Didis, women associated with self-help groups, are not only becoming economically independent but are also emerging as community leaders, entrepreneurs, and sources of inspiration for other women.

A compelling example of this transformation has emerged from Bhagalpur district, where women like Rekha Devi, Swarn Sandhya Bharti, and Farhana from Pirpainti, Sabour, and Jagdishpur blocks have scripted remarkable success stories by availing benefits under various Central and state government schemes.

At an event held at Bhagalpur Town Hall, more than 1,000 Jeevika Didis gathered to attend an address by Vijay Kumar Nivriti Kamble, Executive Director of UCO Bank and the lead bank for Bihar. The address focused on financial assistance and institutional support for women-led self-employment initiatives, highlighting the crucial role of banking institutions in empowering grassroots entrepreneurs.

Rekha Devi, an intermediate pass resident of Gokul Mathura village in Hardevchak Panchayat under Pirpainti block, shared her journey of transformation. She received financial assistance of Rs 4.40 lakh under the Prime Minister’s Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme. Though she initially faced social criticism, strong support from her husband enabled her to persevere.

Using the PMFME funds, Rekha Devi set up a spice-making enterprise and purchased a packaging machine. Today, she produces and sells organic sattu, flour, spices, papad, badi, pickles, and mushrooms. As a community motivator, she has also involved hundreds of women in her venture, creating employment opportunities at the grassroots level.

“We were nothing earlier, but by availing the benefits of the Prime Minister’s schemes, we have become heroes in society,” Rekha Devi said, expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiatives aimed at making women self-reliant.

She also appealed for opportunities for Jeevika Didis to supply food products to institutions such as NTPC and power plants.

Another inspiring story is that of Swarn Sandhya Bharti from Khankitta Panchayat in Sabour block. She ventured into cultivating colourful mushrooms after receiving training from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Bihar Agricultural University, located near her home, as well as from the state government’s Agricultural Technology Management Agency. She later joined Jeevika, which proved to be a turning point in her life.

Her fortunes changed significantly after she availed benefits under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and received a grant of Rs 10 lakh. Once struggling without a proper house, she now uses her own home for mushroom cultivation. Beyond earning a sustainable income, she has also begun training women in Bhagalpur and Patna as a community motivator.

Speaking to media, Swarn Sandhya Bharti said, “The government helped me stand on my feet, and that has instilled a helping attitude in me.”

She thanked Prime Minister Modi and expressed hope that such opportunities would continue to empower women entrepreneurs.

Farhana from Puraini village in Jagdishpur block has also emerged as a symbol of empowerment. A community motivator for 150 Jeevika women, Farhana earlier worked as a labourer, while her husband is a weaver. After joining Jeevika, she received a grant of Rs 50,000, which helped her support her husband’s weaving work. Gradually, she began weaving silk sarees herself and now produces them on order, bringing prosperity to her family and the households of 150 associated Jeevika women. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for enabling such a transformation.

Highlighting the institutional support behind these success stories, Vijay Kumar Nivriti Kamble, Executive Director of UCO Bank, Mumbai, said that the bank, in collaboration with the Bihar government, has extended financial assistance worth Rs 108 crore to Jeevika women across the state. Emphasising the broader impact of such initiatives, he said that empowering women through entrepreneurship not only transforms families but also strengthens society as a whole.

A massive fire broke out at the Blue Roof Club on Ghodbunder Road in Thane on Thursday night, December 18, around 10.30 pm, triggering panic among locals in the busy stretch. Initial information suggests that fireworks may have sparked the blaze, though officials have said the exact cause is yet to be confirmed.

The Thane Municipal Corporation Disaster Management team and the fire department responded swiftly after receiving the emergency call. Multiple fire engines were rushed to the spot as flames and thick smoke engulfed parts of the club premises.

According to officials, the fire was brought under control within approximately half an hour, preventing it from spreading to nearby structures in the densely populated area.

Speaking to the media at the site, Yasteen Tadvi, Disaster Management Officer of the Thane Municipal Corporation, said the scale of the fire was significant, but timely intervention helped avert a major disaster.

“We cannot specify the exact reason for the fire at this stage, but it was massive. As soon as the Disaster Management team received the call, the fire department immediately dispatched fire brigades to the location. After considerable effort, the fire was brought under control. There have been no casualties or injuries,” Tadvi said.

Fire officials continued cooling operations late into the night to ensure there was no risk of reignition. Police personnel were also deployed to manage the crowd and regulate traffic movement along Ghodbunder Road during the firefighting operation.

In a separate incident earlier this week, a fire was reported near the Coastal Road project at Marine Drive in south Mumbai on Wednesday, December 17. Preliminary information indicated that a cable running along the seafront caught fire, resulting in thick smoke in the area.

The smoke entered parts of the Coastal Road tunnel, leading to temporary traffic disruptions. As a precautionary measure, vehicular movement towards North Mumbai was briefly halted.

The Mumbai Fire Brigade rushed to the spot and successfully brought the fire under control. Personnel from the Marine Drive Police Station remained at the site to ensure public safety and smooth traffic flow.

Authorities have confirmed that no injuries were reported in either incident, and investigations are underway to determine the exact causes.

Mumbai, Dec 19: Indian stock markets opened on a positive note on Friday, taking cues from supportive global markets, even as benchmark indices remained on track to close the week in the red for the third consecutive session.

In early trade, the Sensex was trading at 84,866.06, up 384.25 points or 0.45 per cent at around 9:20 AM.

The Nifty index was also higher, quoting at 25,926.90, up 104 points or 0.4 per cent. The index continues to trade within the 25,700–25,900 range, reflecting trader indecision.

“Immediate resistance is placed at 25,900–26,000, while key supports are seen at 25,700 and 25,600,” analysts said.

Buying interest was seen in several heavyweight stocks. Shares of TMPV, Eternal, Infosys, Power Grid, BEL, Sun Pharma, and Bajaj Finserv gained up to 1.5 per cent and emerged as the top performers on the Sensex.

On the other hand, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel were the only stocks trading in the red during early deals.

Sectorally, all indices were trading higher. The Nifty Healthcare index led the gains, rising 1.14 per cent, followed closely by the Nifty Pharma index, which was up 1.1 per cent.

The Nifty Auto index also gained around 0.5 to 0.57 per cent.

The broader markets mirrored the positive sentiment, with the Nifty Midcap index gaining 0.45 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap index was up 0.47 per cent.

Meanwhile, investors remain cautious ahead of several key global and domestic triggers.

Globally, market participants are keeping an eye on retail sales data from the UK, wage tracker data from the euro area, and the US Federal Reserve’s balance sheet numbers. On the domestic front, investors are awaiting the Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting minutes and the latest foreign exchange reserve data.

In terms of institutional activity, foreign institutional investors turned net buyers, purchasing shares worth Rs 614.26 crore on Thursday.

Domestic institutional investors also supported the market, with net purchases of Rs 2,525.98 crore during the same session.