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The Women Self-Empowerment Mission is a noble initiative aimed at the self-empowerment of women from the Barhiya village situated in Bihar. This programme involves installation of solar charkas, which will enable women to spin yarn on a large scale. The programme was  launched on April 1, 2018, by Giriraj Singh, Minister of State (MoS) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India (Independent charge), and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Minister, Department of Labour, Government of Bihar, along with Manju Devi, Nagar Adhyakshya, Barhiya and other district administrative officials. More than 1000 people attended this programme.

Giriraj Singh, the key initiator of this project, said that they have plans to turn the district of Lakhisarai (in which the village of Barhiya is located) into a textile hub. He added that the move would help to create around five crore new jobs. He emphasised that the textile industry can auger the economic growth of the state and promise a bright future for the youth of this region.

Dr. H. P. Kanoria, Chairman, Srei Foundation, has launched this project. Dr. Kanoria’s family hails from the village of Barhiya. He stated, “Our family has a special attachment to this place and its people as we hail from this village.”

This project will generate employment for more than one lakh young women. That will usher in economic development of this village and the adjoining region. This project brings in lot of hope for the people of this region. The installation of the solar charkas will empower women and make them self-dependent economically. This project will allow them to cut threads in these charkhas and sell them to confirmed parties who are keen to purchase the same. It will give them a chance of earning Rs 200-250 per day. About 25 solar charkhas and five solar looms have been installed and the number will go up in future.