The scheme will cover families who were earlier in the business of brewing country-made or spiced liquor or selling toddy but were rendered without any means of livelihood following prohibition in April 2016
Bihar government on Thursday rolled out "Graduation Approach to Sustainable Livelihood" scheme which will provide alternative employment opportunities to families who have been affected by the implementation of total alcohol prohibition in the state.
A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of state Cabinet ministers chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday evening.
The scheme will cover families who were earlier in the business of brewing country-made or spiced liquor or selling toddy but were rendered without any means of livelihood following prohibition in April 2016. Sources said few such families are present in every village of Bihar.
According to state government officials, the scheme will cover one lakh poor families in the state. The government will help them in finding alternative employment opportunities, capacity building, skill development, or provide them with livestock for rearing etc apart from financial help so that they can earn their bread and butter.
"Each family will get around Rs 60,000 - Rs 1 lakh, and the total cost of the scheme to the state exchequer will come around Rs 840 crore. The target is to bring them into mainstream in the next three years," a state government official said.
He also added that loans will be facilitated for those families which are in a condition to receive and repay it, while others will get the funds in form of grants from the state government.
Experts from international organisations were roped in for formulation of the family-based micro-planning scheme. "A pilot project of the scheme has already been tested in Sitamarhi's Suppi block and Katihar's Barsoi block before its full-fledged launch," the official said.
Following the implementation of the programme, the government will also get it vetted from the Jeevika-Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project, to check its success.
BENEFICIARIES
The state government scheme will cover families who were earlier in the business of brewing country-made or spiced liquor or selling toddy but were rendered without any means of livelihood following prohibition in April 2016.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Alcohol prohibition")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}