This document summarizes the response provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1598 on July 29, 2025, regarding Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Village Organizations (VOs). The response pertains to the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), a poverty alleviation program implemented across India (excluding Delhi and Chandigarh).
Since the financial year 2022-23 until June 2025, the DAY-NRLM has facilitated the formation of 15.61 lakh SHGs and 0.94 lakh VOs. Furthermore, the program has focused on delivering financial services to remote rural areas by deploying 65,949 women from SHGs as Business Correspondent Agents (BC Sakhis). As of June 2025, 1.48 crore women members of SHGs have achieved the status of "Lakhpati Didi," indicating an annual household income of at least Rs. 1,00,000.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Rural Development: The Indian government ministry responsible for rural development programs and policies.
Self-Help Groups (SHGs): Groups of rural poor households organized for mutual support and economic development.
Village Organisations (VOs): Federations of Self-Help Groups at the village level.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM): A poverty alleviation program implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development.
Business Correspondent Agents (BCAs): SHG Women deployed to provide financial services in remote rural areas.
Business Correspondent Sakhi (BC Sakhi): Synonymous with Business Correspondent Agents (BCAs) as women providing financial services.
LakhpatiDidi: A Self-Help Group member with an annual household income of at least Rs. 1,00,000.
Delhi: A state in India where DAY-NRLM is not implemented.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1598
ANSWERED ON 29/07/2025
SELF-HELP GROUPS AND VILLAGE ORGANISATIONS
1598. Shri K Gopinath:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Village
Organisations (VO) formed by the Ministry since 2022 to June
2025;
(b) the number of Business Correspondent Agents (BCAs) deployed
by the Ministry since 2022 to June 2025; and
(c) the number of women empowered to become LakhpatiDidis till
June 2025?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. CHANDRA SEKHAR PEMMASANI)
(a): DeendayalAntyodayaYojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission
(DAY-NRLM) is a poverty alleviation programme of the Ministry of
Rural Development (MoRD), which was launched in June, 2011. It is
being implemented across the country (except Delhi & Chandigarh)
with the objective of organizing the rural poor households into Self
Help Groups (SHGs) and continuously nurturing and supporting them
till they attain appreciable increase in income over a period of time
and improve their quality of life and come out of abject poverty.
These SHGs are further federated into Village Organisations (VOs)
Since the financial year 2022-23 till June, 2025, 15.61 lakh
SHGs and 0.94 lakh VOs are formed under DAY-NRLM.
(b): DAY-NRLM is providing last mile delivery of financial services
in remote rural areas where people do not have much access to
banking services, through deployment of SHG Women as Business
Correspondent Agents, also known as BC Sakhi, to provide financial
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pensions & scholarships, payment of MGNREGA wages and
enrollment under insurance & pension schemes.
Since Financial Year 2022-23 till June 2025, 65,949 women
members of SHGs have been identified, trained, and deployed as
Business Correspondent Agents/BC Sakhis.
(c): A LakhpatiDidi 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. Till June 2025, 1.48 crore women members of
SHGs have become LakhpatiDidi.
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