Budget 2024: Lakhpati Didi Target Soars to 3 Crore, Empowering Women in Rural India

In a move aimed at boosting rural women's empowerment and financial independence, the Indian government has announced an ambitious increase in the target for its Lakhpati Didi scheme. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the Interim Budget 2024-25 in Parliament today, revealed that the target has been raised from 2 crore to 3 crore women.

The Lakhpati Didi initiative, launched in 2023, aims to create 2 crore Lakhpati Didis - rural women earning at least Rs. 1 lakh annually - through Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Lauding the success of the program, Sitharaman highlighted the crucial role played by SHGs. Eighty-three lakh SHGs with nine crore women are transforming the rural socio-economic landscape with empowerment and self-reliance, she stated.

Sitharaman emphasized the government's commitment to supporting four key segments: the poor (Garib), women (Mahilayen), youth (Yuva), and farmers (Annadata). "Their needs, aspirations, and welfare are our highest priority. The country progresses when they progress," she declared. All four segments, she added, require and receive government support for their betterment, with their empowerment driving the nation forward.