NIFT Patna, ABFRL Ink Pact To Train 3.5 Lakh Rural Women In Bihar
The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Patna has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL) to skill and employ rural women associated with Bihar’s flagship self-help group (SHG) programme, Jeevika. The agreement was formalised in the presence of Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh.
The initiative aims to provide specialized training in garment manufacturing, quality control, and machinery operations to “Jeevika Didis” at NIFT’s extension centre. The first batch of women trained under this programme will be directly employed at ABFRL’s upcoming manufacturing unit in Begusarai district.
“With this MoU, Jeevika Didis trained at NIFT will have direct access to formal industry jobs at ABFRL’s factory. Initially, 3.5 lakh women in the immediate region will benefit, with scope to include adjoining districts,” Singh said.
The collaboration is designed as a structured pipeline linking grassroots skill-building with industrial employment, ensuring women move beyond small-scale enterprises to mainstream textile production.
Bihar’s Jeevika programme, run by the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS) with World Bank support, has already mobilised over 1.4 crore women into SHGs. The new industry linkage is expected to strengthen income security, expand financial independence, and accelerate women’s participation in the formal workforce.
For ABFRL, among India’s largest branded apparel players, the partnership ensures access to a ready pool of trained manpower while supporting regional industrialisation. The model, combining government support, academic expertise, and industry demand, is being viewed as a template for similar partnerships in other states.
Analysts say the move not only enhances women’s employability but also positions Bihar as an emerging hub for textile manufacturing, with Begusarai likely to attract further industry-led investments.
