8 SEPTEMBER2025Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited, a cooperative society aimed at offering cheap credit to rural women entrepreneurs.As per an official statement, Jeevika Nidhi is a collateral-free financial system with the dual objective of weaning people off the microfinance institutions (MFIs) and introducing bigger loans at lower interest rates. The scheme will be financed jointly by the Centre and the Bihar government.In the launch, PM Modi credited Rs 105 crore in the account of the institution to begin operations. Highlighting the importance of women empowerment, he mentioned that women empowerment is a biggest driver for India's progress and stressed the need for removing impediments that make their life more complex.All Jeevika federations at the cluster level will become members of the cooperative, providing women covered by self-help groups (SHGs) an alternative to MFIs, which usually attract 18 to 24 percent interest.The process will operate completely on a digital platform to facilitate faster and more transparent disbursals of loans directly into the bank accounts of Jeevika Didis. To aid this digital transition, 12,000 community cadres are being equipped with tablets. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a record prize purse for the Women's ODI World Cup, to be played in India and Sri Lanka, from September 30 to November 2, 2025.The purse of USD 13.88 million is a considerable amount as the purse was USD 3.5 million for the 2022 New Zealand edition.The amount is also greater than the USD 10 million prize money for the Men's ODI World Cup in 2023.According to ICC Chairman Jay Shah, the increase in the purse reflects the ICC's commitment towards the sustainable growth of women's cricket and to give professional parity between women and men in the game.Each award category referenced has been improved. Most importantly, the champions of Women's World Cup will receive USD 4.48 million, a sizable increase from USD 1.32 million paid to Australia in the 2022 Women's World Cup; and a more verge healthy than the USD 4 million available to men in 2023.Also bettered is the runner-up payout of USD 2.24 million; and the USD 600,000 for the runner-up in the 2022 Women's World Cup. The two losing semifinals will earn USD 1.12 million, compared to USD 300,000 in the last tournament.In the group stage, teams will receive USD 34,314 for every match win. The fifth and sixth placed teams should receive USD 700,000, up from USD 280,000 in the last edition, while the seventh and eighth placed teams will also receive USD 280,000! Each participating team is guaranteed share of USD 250,000.This tournament will be an eight-team tournament and will be held in India and Sri Lanka. IN FOCUSPM MODI LAUNCHES COOPERATIVE CREDIT INITIATIVE FOR RURAL WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN BIHARWOMEN'S CRICKET HITS MILESTONE WITH 13.88M DOLLAR WORLD CUP PRIZE POOL· The ICC has revealed a record prize money pool for the next Women's ODI World Cup in India· The event will be held between September 30 and November 2, 2025· The prize pool stands at USD 13.88 million, the largest ever· Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited virtually· The program is a cooperative model for offering low-cost credit to rural women entrepreneurs· It looks to make larger loans more easily available at low interest rates
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