Parliament Question: Economic empowerment and inclusive growth

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3348 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20/03/2026 ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH 3348 Dr. Sikander Kumar: Will the Minister of Rural Development be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has issued instructions to work on war footing to achieve the revised target of creating six crore Lakhpati Didis’ by March 2029; (b) if so, the details of time-bound action plan prepared to link 10 crore women with financial inclusion initiatives to support this target; (c) the specific measures being taken to strengthen bank linkages, credit access, insurance coverage and financial literacy for Self-Help Group (SHG) members; and (d) the measures being implemented to provide handholding and support to states currently showing below-par performance in Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. CHANDRA SEKHAR PEMMASANI) (a) & (b): Lakhpati Didi initiative is an outcome of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme being implemented by Ministry in partnership of States and UTs (except Chandigarh and Delhi), with the objective to improve the livelihoods of poor rural households in country, and organise rural households into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for their social and financial inclusion. A Lakhpati Didi is a Self- Help Group Member, whose annual household income is at least Rs. 1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh) with an average monthly income of at least Rs. 10,000 (Rupees Ten Thousand) sustained for at least 4 agricultural seasons and/or business cycles. To achieve the revised target of creating six crore Lakhpati Didis by March 2029, DAY- NRLM follows a structured and time-bound approach through intensive planning, implementation and monitoring, led by community institutions such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Village Organisations (VOs) and Cluster Level Federations (CLFs). A structured approach has been adopted to make the SHG women Lakhpati Didi. The initiative also aims on enhancing financial inclusion, and convergence across government departments as well as building entrepreneurial capacity among SHG women, for social and financial inclusion. (c): The Department has taken steps for easy accessibility of bank credit to women SHGs and their members. All Public Sector Banks and one Private Bank i.e. IDBI Bank Ltd have designed specific products for financing to women SHG members and MoU has also been signed with these banks. The Mission also promotes social security and insurance coverage for SHG Page 1 of 2members through awareness and facilitation of enrolment under Government insurance and pension schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY), thereby enhancing financial security and risk protection for SHG households. DAY-NRLM also facilitates universal access to the affordable cost-effective reliable financial services to the poor and it works on both demand and supply sides of financial inclusion by promoting financial literacy among the poor and providing catalytic capital to the SHGs and their federations. Promotion of digital finance is done through deployment of SHG Women as Banking Correspondent Sakhi (BC Sakhi), with the support of banks and Common Service Centres. (d): The Government undertakes efforts to strengthen the implementation of the Mission across States/UTs. Handholding support is provided through capacity building of community institutions such as SHGs, Village Organisations (VOs) and Cluster Level Federations (CLFs). Financial support in the form of Revolving Fund (RF) and Community Investment Fund (CIF) is provided to SHGs to strengthen their financial base. In addition, regular training and capacity- building programmes are conducted for SHG members and community cadres on SHG management, financial literacy, livelihood promotion and enterprise development to ensure effective implementation of DAY-NRLM across all States. ***** Page 2 of 2