New Heights of Women Empowerment: PM Modi to Transfer ₹450 Crore to 'Lakhpati Didis', Launch Two Key Schemes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Gujarat’s Navsari district on March 8 to mark International Women’s Day. He will attend the ‘Lakhpati Didi Sammelan’ in Vansi-Borsi, where he will transfer over ₹450 crore in financial assistance directly to the bank accounts of more than 2.5 lakh women from over 25,000 self-help groups (SHGs) across the state.

Lakhpati Didi Scheme: A Major Step towards Women Empowerment:

Launched on August 15, 2023, the Lakhpati Didi Scheme aims to promote women’s entrepreneurship and financial independence. Under this initiative, women engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry, small-scale industries, and other sectors who earn an annual income of at least ₹1 lakh are recognized as ‘Lakhpati Didis.’
According to the Gujarat government, over 1.5 lakh women in the state have already met this criterion and attained the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ status. This scheme has provided them with opportunities for self-reliance and economic empowerment.

PM Modi to Honor Women at the Conference:

The ‘Lakhpati Didi Sammelan’ in Vansi-Borsi will witness the participation of nearly 1 lakh women from Navsari, Valsad, and Dang districts, most of whom are associated with self-help groups. During the event, PM Modi will interact with 10 selected Lakhpati Didis and present certificates to five of them. Additionally, a special documentary showcasing the success of this scheme in Gujarat will be screened.

Launch of Two New Schemes in Gujarat:

1. G-SAFAL Scheme: Economic Upliftment of Antyodaya Families:

PM Modi will also launch the G-SAFAL (Gujarat Sustainable Assistance for Livelihood Advancement) Scheme, aimed at strengthening the economic independence of women from Antyodaya families.

1. Over the next five years, 50,000 families holding Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cards will benefit from this initiative.
2. Women associated with self-help groups will receive financial assistance and entrepreneurship training.
3. Each SHG woman will get ₹1 lakh as financial aid to support their livelihood.
4. A total budget of ₹500 crore has been allocated for this scheme.
5. Every group of 50-60 women will have a field coach to provide weekly training sessions for skill enhancement.

2. G-MAITRI Scheme: Boosting Rural Startups:

To foster rural entrepreneurship, PM Modi will introduce the G-MAITRI (Gujarat Mentorship and Innovation for Transforming Rural Income) Scheme. This initiative aims to support rural startups and social enterprises working towards improving livelihoods in villages.

1. 10 lakh rural women and youth will benefit from this program.
2. The Gujarat Social Enterprise Fund (G-SEF) has allocated ₹50 crore to support innovative rural ventures.
3. More than 150 startups will receive assistance under this scheme.
4. Seed startups will be eligible for ₹20 lakh, while scale startups can receive ₹30 lakh in financial support.
5. Training workshops and entrepreneurship development programs will be conducted to strengthen the startup ecosystem.