AGARTALA: Tripura has secured the second position in the number of “Lakhpati Didis” under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), with Assam leading the tally in the Northeast.
This information was shared by Dr. Chandrashekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Rural Development, during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.
DAY-NRLM is a flagship program of the Ministry of Rural Development that aims to strengthen the rural economy by organizing economically disadvantaged rural women into self-help groups (SHGs).
The scheme is operational across India, except in Delhi and Chandigarh, focusing on empowering rural women to achieve financial independence and uplift themselves above the poverty line.
The “Lakhpati Didi” initiative under DAY-NRLM aims to create sustainable livelihoods, enabling SHG members to earn at least Rs. 1 lakh annually. Dr. Pemmasani highlighted the progress in the Northeast, with the following data on Lakhpati Didis: Assam - 5,18,359; Tripura - 58,495; Meghalaya - 39,976; Mizoram - 17,167; Manipur - 15,559; Nagaland - 12,294; Sikkim - 7,794; and Arunachal Pradesh - 5,057.
To further support SHG members, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has introduced the Namo Drone Didi project. Between 2023 and 2026, 15,000 SHG members will be equipped with drones to enhance their agricultural practices. In the 2023-24 financial year, fertilizer companies have already distributed 503 drones.
As of October 2024, DAY-NRLM has reached 10.05 crore women through 90.87 lakh SHGs across the country. Various financial services and support are provided to these groups through banks, boosting their economic activities and livelihoods.
The scheme’s success is reflected in an impact assessment conducted by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation in partnership with the World Bank (2019-20).
The findings include a 19% increase in income compared to capital invested, a 28% growth in savings, a 20% reduction in reliance on informal credit, a 4% increase in women taking up secondary occupations, and a significant rise in participation, with households accessing an average of 6.5 programs, compared to 2.8 at the baseline.
The DAY-NRLM and its associated projects, like “Lakhpati Didi” and “Namo Drone Didi,” are key examples of transformative development, fostering self-reliance and economic stability for millions of women across India.
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