In a powerful display of community action, 65 women from Balia village in Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, aged 21–60, have revived the Balia River, a crucial distributary of the Mahanadi. Members of the Maa Bajrabudhi Primary Mahila Cooperative Society, formed in 2024, these women utilized Rs 5,000 each from the Subhadra Yojana, Odisha’s welfare scheme providing Rs 50,000 over five years to eligible women, supplemented by their personal savings. Their goal was to restore a 32-acre stretch of the riverbed, clogged with silt and weeds, which had long sustained local fishing and farming communities.
In just 20 days, they cleared pollutants, restored the river’s natural flow, and prepared it for pisciculture, revitalizing a lifeline for their village’s economy and ecosystem. This women-led effort highlights the transformative potential of financial empowerment, enabling environmental and social change. However, sustaining such initiatives requires ongoing support and resources to prevent future degradation. The women of Jagatsinghpur have set a bold precedent, demonstrating how collective action can restore nature and secure livelihoods, inspiring communities nationwide to prioritize women’s leadership in environmental stewardship.
