Subhadra Power: Women Use Assistance To Revive A Dying River

A group of 65 determined women of Jagatsinghpur have used their Subhadra funds of ₹5,000 each and their savings to revive a lifeless Balia river, which they plan to use for pisciculture now Amarnath Parida brings out their story

- Amarnath Parida brings out their story

ONEY under the government's flagship scheme Subhadra Yojana has been used by women for varied purposes. But in the sleepy village of Balia under Kujang block in Jagatsinghpur, 65 women have contributed their share of Subhadra money for a greater cause - breathing life into the fast dying Balia river.

The women, all members of Maa Bajrabudhi Primary Mahila Cooperative Society, founded in 2024, have restored a large patch of the river that was choked with silt and dense weeds. They had formed the cooperative society last year with the goal of economic empowerment and environmental rejuvenation.

Reviving 32 acres of Balia river bed at their village was their first major work. They removed pollutants, cleaned it and restored its natural environment within a period of 20 days. What came as a shot in the arm for the women was the Subhadra money of ₹5,000.