Lakhpati Didi Yojana in Uttarakhand

• 12 Mar 2025

Why in News? 

Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand has achieved the highest success in implementing the Lakhpati Didi Yojana, a key initiative under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).  

 Key Points 

• Progress Towards Targets: 
  • Udham Singh Nagar is nearing its target, with 25,918 women becoming Lakhpati Didis against a goal of 27,285. 
  • Haridwar follows, achieving 21,442 out of its 23,588 target. 
  • Pauri, Almora, and Tehri have also made significant progress. 
• Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Rural Women: 
  • Under the Lakhpati Didi Yojana, rural women have become entrepreneurs by engaging in: 
    • Value addition of coarse grains and fruits. 
    • Dairy farming and LPG distribution. 
    • Primary veterinary care and insurance schemes, earning commissions. 
    • Digital transactions, strengthening household incomes. 
• NRLM's Impact on Women’s Empowerment: 
  • NRLM has transformed the lives of women in remote villages, offering them not just financial stability but also empowerment and self-reliance. 

 Lakhpati Didi Initiative 

• About:  
  • A "Lakhpati Didi" is a member of a SHG who has successfully achieved an annual household income of Rupees One Lakh or more. 
  • This income is sustained across at least four agricultural seasons or business cycles, ensuring that the average monthly income exceeds Rupees Ten Thousand (Rs. 10,000). 
  • It was initiated by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), wherein each SHG household is encouraged to take up multiple livelihood activities coupled with value chain interventions, resulting in a sustainable income of Rs. 1,00,000 or more per year. 
• Purpose:  
  • The initiative aims to empower women not only by improving their income but by transforming their lives through sustainable livelihood practices. 
  • These women serve as role models in their communities, demonstrating the power of effective resource management and entrepreneurship. 

 National Rural Livelihood Mission 

• About: 
  • It is a centrally sponsored programme, launched by the Ministry of Rural Development in June 2011. 
• Aim: 
  • To eliminate rural poverty through the promotion of multiple livelihoods and improved access to financial services for the rural poor households across the country. 
• Functioning: 
  • It involves working with community institutions through community professionals in the spirit of self-help which is a unique proposition of DAY-NRLM. 
  • It impacts the livelihoods through universal social mobilization by inter alia organising one-woman member from each rural poor household into Self Help Groups (SHGs), their training and capacity building, facilitating their micro-livelihoods plans, and enabling them to implement their livelihoods plans through accessing financial resources from their own institutions and the banks.