Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday, June 5, 2026 — World Environment Day — highlighted that a delegation from Ambedkarnagar, Uttar Pradesh completed a three-day study tour of Begusarai's grassroots 'green manure model', crediting Jeevika self-help group women and local farmers for pioneering a replicable approach to reducing chemical fertiliser dependence.

Context

In his post, Singh wrote: 'Hamara Begusarai ab desh ko 'harit kranti' aur sustainability ki nayi raah dikha raha hai' — 'Our Begusarai is now showing the country a new path of green revolution and sustainability.' He noted that the visiting UP delegation conducted a three-day study of what he called the 'Harit Khaad Model' (Green Manure Model), an initiative driven by Jeevika didiyan (Jeevika self-help group women) and local farmers of the district.

The post was timed to coincide with World Environment Day, an annual United Nations observance on June 5, and carried hashtags including #GreenGrowth and #NowForClimate, underscoring the environmental framing of the initiative.

Policy Backdrop

Jeevika, formally the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society, operates under the umbrella of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (2011) and has long been a vehicle for organising rural women into self-help groups that undertake livelihood and agricultural activities. The green manure model aligns with the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (2015), a central scheme promoting organic and natural farming to wean farmers off synthetic fertilisers.

Reducing chemical fertiliser use has been a recurring policy priority, both for its fiscal implications — fertiliser subsidies run into tens of thousands of crore rupees annually — and for its environmental benefits, including soil health restoration and reduced groundwater contamination.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary stakeholders are the Jeevika self-help group women of Begusarai and the district's farming community, who have developed and sustained the green manure practice at the grassroots level. By attracting an inter-state delegation from Ambedkarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, the model has demonstrated cross-state interest in replication.

For farmers, a successful shift away from chemical fertilisers can lower input costs and improve long-term soil fertility. For the Jeevika didiyan, the model represents an additional livelihood and a recognition of their role as agricultural innovators, not merely beneficiaries of government programmes.

What's Next

The Ambedkarnagar delegation's study visit raises the possibility of the green manure model being adopted or adapted in Uttar Pradesh districts, potentially with support from state rural livelihood missions. Any formal linkage to central natural-farming schemes — particularly during upcoming budget deliberations or environment-focused parliamentary sessions — could accelerate replication at scale.

As India intensifies its climate commitments, locally-proven, women-led agricultural innovations such as Begusarai's green manure model may find greater institutional support and policy visibility in the months ahead.