SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has 96,637 women Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Centre’s Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), the Union Government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
According to data placed before the House by the Ministry of Rural Development, JK accounts for nearly 1.05 per cent of the 92,30,743 women SHGs established under DAY-NRLM across 28 States and six Union Territories.
The ministry said DAY-NRLM has cumulatively mobilised 10.08 crore women into 92.30 lakh SHGs across the country. The mission focuses on social mobilisation, financial inclusion, sustainable livelihoods and social and economic development of rural households.
Under the programme, women SHGs are facilitated in accessing collateral-free institutional credit from scheduled commercial and cooperative banks, in accordance with guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India and NABARD.
The government said Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) provide skill development and entrepreneurship training to rural youth, including SHG members, with a focus on women’s empowerment. Community Managed Training Centres are also promoted to provide capacity building, peer learning and knowledge exchange.
The ministry, however, identified several challenges affecting SHGs, including gender inequality, migration, low literacy, inadequate marketing facilities, limited access to technology and vulnerability to natural disasters, health emergencies, climate change and economic downturns.
The government said independent evaluations have found positive economic and social outcomes from DAY-NRLM interventions. A 2025 3ie impact evaluation, covering about 23,000 households across nine States, found household incomes had increased by 9.5 per cent in NRLM blocks, while income gains in mature community institution clusters ranged from 12 to 33 per cent.
The study also recorded a 6–11 per cent increase in per capita household consumption, alongside improvements in women’s empowerment, livelihood diversification and household welfare.
The government further stated that an evaluation by NITI Aayog in 2025 found DAY-NRLM had contributed to higher incomes, diversified livelihood opportunities, improved financial inclusion and literacy, greater confidence among women and stronger social inclusion.
Under the Lakhpati Didi initiative, which seeks to help women SHG members achieve an annual household income of at least Rs 1 lakh, the number of Lakhpati Didis has reached 3.46 crore nationwide.
Among the States and Union Territories, Bihar has 13,53,025 women SHGs, West Bengal 11,67,882, Uttar Pradesh 8,71,820 and Andhra Pradesh 8,27,133. JK’s 96,637 SHGs place it ahead of several States and UTs, including Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Ladakh.
