Women SHGs will help create 30 million `Lakhpati Didis, says finance minister

Buoyed by the success of the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) across the country, the government has decided to set the goal higher and enhance the target for `Lakhpati Didis’ from 20 million to 30 million, finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman said while presenting the Interim Union Budget 2024-25 in Parliament.

She said the 83 lakh SHGs with 90 million women are transforming rural socio-economic landscape with empowerment and self-reliance. Their success has assisted nearly 10 million women to become ‘Lakhpati Didi’ already. They are an inspiration to others. Their achievements will be recognized through honouring them, the finance minister stated.

The Prime Minister, she said, firmly believes in the need to focus on four major castes  - ‘Garib’ (Poor), ‘Mahilayen’ (Women), ‘Yuva’ (Youth) and  ‘Annadata’(Farmer). “Their needs, their aspirations, and their welfare are our highest priority. The country progresses, when they progress”. She added that all four require and receive government support in their quest to better their lives and their empowerment and well-being will drive the country forward”.

She said the government’s approach to development is all-round, all-pervasive and all-inclusive. It covers all castes and people at all levels. The vision is to make India a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, she said, adding, “For achieving that goal, we need to improve people’s capability and empower them”.