DELHI: More than 43,000 women in Jammu and Kashmir have achieved financial independence under the Lakhpati Didi initiative, according to data provided by the government in response to a parliamentary question. The scheme, which aims to uplift women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by ensuring an annual income of at least Rs 1 lakh, has been implemented across India as part of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
The information was shared by Minister of State for Rural Development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani in a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha. The minister stated that as of now, 43,050 women in Jammu and Kashmir have become ‘Lakhpati Didis’, benefiting from structured financial literacy, skill development, and entrepreneurial support provided under the initiative. Across the country, over 1.15 crore women have been successfully empowered through the scheme.
The Lakhpati Didi initiative is a key component of the DAY-NRLM, a centrally sponsored programme that operates in partnership with states and Union Territories, barring Chandigarh and Delhi. It seeks to strengthen rural livelihoods by organising households into SHGs and facilitating their financial and social inclusion. The initiative focuses on equipping individual SHG women with sustainable income-generating skills over multiple agricultural seasons or business cycles.
Unlike other government welfare schemes, the Lakhpati Didi initiative does not have a separate budget allocation. Instead, it draws funds from the broader DAY-NRLM framework for training, capacity building, and financial assistance. Additional financial requirements are met through bank linkages and loans extended to SHG members.
Jammu and Kashmir received Rs 506.86 crore as central allocation under the NRLM in the past three years, with Rs 417.86 crore released and Rs 450.91 crore spent. Meanwhile, in Ladakh, 51,903 women have been reported as Lakhpati Didis, despite the Union Territory receiving a significantly lower allocation of Rs 36.39 crore during the same period.
The success of the scheme highlights the growing role of SHGs in enhancing women’s financial independence and economic stability. With a focus on skill development and entrepreneurial capacity-building, the government aims to expand the reach of the initiative in rural India. Nationally, Bihar leads with over 13.47 lakh Lakhpati Didis, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 14.87 lakh and Uttar Pradesh with 8.41 lakh. Other states with significant participation include West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, each with over 10 lakh women benefiting from the scheme.
