Rural women in Azamgarh turn entrepreneurs under ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative
Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh): The Centre’s ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme is emerging as a powerful instrument of transformation for women in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district, with beneficiaries sharing stories of entrepreneurship, economic empowerment and renewed confidence, particularly among women from economically weaker, Dalit, and marginalised sections.
Women associated with various self-help groups (SHGs) in the district credited the BJP’s double-engine government for providing livelihood opportunities and enabling them to become financially self-reliant.
Speaking to IANS, Azamgarh District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar said that effective implementation of welfare schemes at the grassroots level remains a key priority of the administration. “As an administrator, there is an expectation from the government that public grievances are addressed, government schemes are implemented effectively, and law and order are maintained,” he said.
He added that sustained efforts have been made to ensure smooth administration, resolve public grievances and curb land-related disputes, which have largely been brought under control. However, he noted that the process is continuous and the administration remains actively engaged.
At the grassroots level, women beneficiaries narrated how the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme helped transform their lives.
Sunita, President of the Chandni Self-Help Group from Daulatpur, said she received Rs 80,000 under the scheme and started a beauty parlour and a stitching centre. “I now earn around Rs 1.5 lakh annually. By joining the group, I have become self-dependent. Earlier, we felt confined, but today we feel confident and free. Nearly 150 women in our village have benefited from this scheme,” she said.
Shanti Singh Chauhan, Treasurer of the Aakash Self-Help Group from Rani Ki Sarai, said joining the group gave her a new identity. “have benefited up to Rs 1.25 lakh through this scheme. I sincerely thank the Yogi government and hope this initiative continues,” she said.
Sharda Devi, Treasurer of the Maa Sharda Self-Help Group from Pandha village, said she started a crockery shop and now runs a refreshment outlet and a Jan Seva Kendra. “I thank the Yogi and Modi governments from the bottom of my heart. Their initiatives for women have been truly effective,” she said.
A Lakhpati Didi is a member of a Self-Help Group (SHG) who earns an annual household income of Rs 1 lakh or more. Since the launch of the Lakhpati Didi initiative, over one crore SHG women have already achieved the status of Lakhpati Didi. The government has now set a target of enabling three crore women to become Lakhpati Didis.