Every Bihar panchayat is getting a 'Sudha Sakhi'. Who is she, and what does she earn?
Bihar's milk co-operative plans to place one woman dairy guide in each of its 8,053 panchayats. She will not be a government employee, and a second plan puts a Sudha milk shop, run by a Jeevika didi, in every panchayat too.
- COMFED, the co-operative behind the Sudha milk brand, plans one Sudha Sakhi in each of Bihar's 8,053 panchayats 1.
- She is a village woman who helps dairy farmers with animal health, feed, breeding and a link to the vet 1.
- She is not a government employee. She will earn by commission 1.
- Separately, every panchayat is to get one Sudha milk shop run by a Jeevika didi, with a ₹60,000 grant, picked by lottery 2,3.
One woman for every village council
A panchayat is a village council. Bihar has 8,053 of them 1. COMFED, the Bihar State Milk Co-operative Federation that sells milk as Sudha 5, wants a Sudha Sakhi in every one.
She is meant to be the first person a cattle farmer calls. She will guide farmers on animal health and nutrition, on artificial insemination, and connect them to veterinary doctors 1. Women from all 38 districts have already done a six-day residential training at COMFED in Patna 1,2.
The twist: a job without a salary
A Sudha Sakhi will not be a regular, contract or government employee. She is a local service provider paid by commission or incentive 1. How much she will earn has not been published.
| Sudha Sakhi | Sudha milk shop | |
|---|---|---|
| What | Dairy guide for farmers | A shop selling Sudha products |
| Who | One woman per panchayat, picked through milk co-operatives | A Jeevika didi (self-help group member) |
| Money | Commission; amount not published | ₹60,000 grant to set up |
| How picked | Selection begins this financial year | Lottery |
Source: Indian Masterminds 1,2, Patna Press 3, SkillUp Bihar 4
COMFED also plans an animal medicine shop in each of Bihar's 534 blocks 1,2.
Why it matters
- For dairy farmers: advice and a vet contact in their own panchayat, instead of a trip to town.
- For Jeevika didis: two possible openings: a Sakhi role, and a shop with a ₹60,000 grant.
- For Bihar: the plan aims to bring more women into the milk business 1.
Send them this, so they can ask at the block JEEViKA office about the Sakhi role and the shop lottery.
Sources
- Indian Masterminds, Sudha Sakhi Initiative: Bihar to appoint women in 8,053 panchayats to boost dairy production, 15 Oct 2026
- Indian Masterminds, Bihar to open JEEViKA-Sudha sales centres across all 8,053 panchayats, 26 Aug 2026
- Patna Press, Samastipur's 306 panchayats to get Sudha sales centres; Jivika didis to receive ₹60,000 assistance, 2026
- SkillUp Bihar, Jeevika Sudha Bikri Kendra Yojana 2026: eligibility, ₹60,000 grant, lottery, 31 Aug 2026
- Wikipedia, Bihar State Milk Co-operative Federation, accessed 16 Oct 2026
How we did this. Every number links to its source. Where sources disagree, we leave the number out and say so. When we work out a number ourselves, we say "our maths". This is general information. Eligibility and dates can change; check with your block JEEViKA office before applying.