Morning Brings a Breeze of Change: Jelo Bai of Narayanpur on the Path of Self-Reliance from Labor, Earning 30,000 Rupees per Month

Raipur, the Chhattisgarh government’s National Rural Livelihood Mission (‘Bihan’) scheme is writing a new chapter of prosperity and economic self‑reliance in the lives of women in rural areas. The story of Mrs. Jelo Bai from Garangi village in Narayanpur district is a vivid example of this change, and she has become an inspiration not only for the district but for rural women across the state. Before 2016, Jelo Bai’s life was mired in scarcity and financial distress. The family’s sole livelihood came from agricultural labour and her husband’s tailoring work. Limited and uncertain income made feeding the family and meeting daily needs a major challenge. Through the guidance of the collector, campaigns are being run in the district to make women self‑reliant. In 2016, Jelo Bai joined the ‘Jai Maa Sherawali Self‑Help Group’. After joining, she understood the importance of financial discipline and regular savings, and under the guidance of cluster and village organisations she explored new livelihood avenues. Through the group she received an initial revolving fund (RF) of 15,000 rupees and secured a bank linkage loan of 4 lakh rupees to expand her business. With the financial support from the bank, Jelo Bai first opened a grocery shop in the village. After making this business successful through hard work and insight, she expanded her scope. By adopting diverse livelihood activities such as fish farming, garment tailoring, and advanced agricultural work, Jelo Bai now earns a handsome income of 20,000 to 30,000 rupees per month. Expressing gratitude for this historic change and self‑reliance, Jelo Bai thanked Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai and the government’s ‘Bihan’ scheme. She said that with proper guidance, collective strength and effective use of government schemes, success can be achieved regardless of circumstances.