Responsible Mica Initiative – Koderma & Giridih, Jharkhand

Program Overview

India’s mica-rich districts of Koderma and Giridih continue to depend heavily on informal mica picking, with nearly 70% of mica entering the market through unregulated and illegal supply chains. This exposes mica pickers—especially women and children—to exploitation, unsafe working conditions, and extremely low wages. Lack of regulation, absence of transparent supply chains, and the dominance of intermediaries further deepen this vulnerability.

To address these systemic issues, Better World Foundation, in collaboration with the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI)and the Government of Jharkhand, is implementing a holistic, community-centric model to formalise the mica supply chain. The initiative aims to protect mica-dependent households by:

• Strengthening community-based institutions
• Reducing child labour
• Enhancing transparency and traceability
• Implementing policy reforms
• Reducing the influence of exploitative intermediaries
• Ensuring fair value for mica pickers

Through policy advocacy and cross-stakeholder engagement, the initiative is working toward building a responsible, ethical, and legally compliant mica ecosystem, ultimately improving the lives and livelihoods of mica-dependent communities.