SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has set a target of creating 3.64 lakh “Lakhpati Didis” by 2029 under the Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM-UMEED), with 2.40 lakh women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) having already achieved the milestone of earning annual household incomes exceeding Rs 1 lakh.
The target and strategy were reviewed on Tuesday during a meeting of the Union Territory Level Steering Committee on the Lakhpati Didi Initiative chaired by Secretary, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad.
Chairing the meeting, Asad directed all stakeholder departments to adopt a mission-mode approach and ensure convergence of government schemes to help rural women establish sustainable micro-enterprises through skill development, institutional credit and market support.
According to officials, an additional 1.24 lakh women will have to be brought under the initiative over the next three years to meet the Union Territory’s target.
The Secretary said the success of the programme depends on coordinated implementation across departments and instructed line departments to integrate their flagship schemes with JKRLM while prioritising eligible SHG households.
He asked departments to prepare sector-wise convergence plans detailing the number of beneficiaries they can support in agriculture, horticulture, livestock, dairy, poultry, fisheries and allied sectors. He also stressed the preparation of household-level enterprise plans, timely credit support, continuous mentoring and better market linkages for women entrepreneurs.
Calling for diversification of livelihood opportunities, Asad urged departments to expand support beyond traditional sectors by promoting opportunities in handicrafts, handloom, food processing, apparel manufacturing, digital services and other emerging rural enterprises.
The Secretary also directed the Mission to strengthen partnerships with reputed national training institutions and specialised organisations to improve the quality of skill development programmes.
He suggested organising exposure visits to states with successful livelihood models so that best practices could be replicated in Jammu and Kashmir.
He further asked officials to engage with leading apparel manufacturers and private brands to explore outsourcing opportunities for women-led enterprises, saying such partnerships could generate sustainable employment and significantly increase rural household incomes.
Departments including Agriculture and Horticulture were instructed to provide practical, field-based training in scientific farming, apple cultivation, vegetable farming, protected cultivation and other high-value agricultural activities capable of generating sustainable incomes.
The meeting was informed that the Digital Aajeevika Register (DAR) is being used to identify beneficiary households and monitor progress, while the Enterprise Planning Digital Tool (EPDT) is helping prepare customised business plans, assess investment requirements and forecast incomes for individual households.
Officials also reviewed financial inclusion measures under the programme. They informed the meeting that institutional credit worth Rs 1,200 crore has been targeted under the SHG Bank Linkage Programme for potential Lakhpati Didis.
In addition, around 4,200 women are expected to benefit during the current financial year under the Lal Ded Stree Shakti Scheme, being implemented in partnership with J&K Bank through micro-loans worth Rs 42 crore.
The meeting was also informed that 372 Bank Mitras and 710 Banking Correspondents are currently providing doorstep banking services in rural areas, while financial literacy camps and enrolment drives under various social security schemes are being conducted across all blocks.
Concluding the meeting, Asad described the Lakhpati Didi Initiative as a transformative programme aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, financial independence and sustainable livelihoods among rural women. He directed all departments to work in close coordination with JKRLM and ensure timely achievement of the Union Territory’s targets through measurable outcomes and sustained field-level support.
