Budget 2024-25: Aim to now empower 3 crore women through Lakhpati Didi Scheme

The Lakhpati Didi scheme aims to empower women in rural areas by encouraging them to start micro-enterprises and providing training in various skills such as plumbing, tailoring, and weaving, which would enable them to earn a sustainable income of at least ₹1 lakh per annum

Budget 2024: Empowering 3 crore women through the Lakhpati Didi Scheme

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the interim budget proposes to increase the number of beneficiaries under the scheme to three crore. PTI

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aim of creating two crore women entrepreneurs in villages, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced expansion of the Lakhpati Didi Scheme in her Interim Budget 2024–25 speech on Thursday.

Highlighting the empowerment and self-reliance nearly 1 crore women in rural areas have achieved through the scheme so far, Sitharaman said that the interim budget proposes to increase the number of beneficiaries to three crore.

“Being an inspiration to others, the achievements will be recognised through honouring them, and buoyed by the success, it’s been decided to enhance the target for Lakhpati Didi from 2 crore to 3 crore,” the finance minister said in her budget speech.

As part of his broader efforts to transform the rural socio-economic landscape through women empowerment and self-reliance, PM Modi on August 15 last year expressed his vision to reach two crore rural women in India. “Today, 10 crore rural women are part of self-help groups. When you go to a village, you will find ‘bank-wali didi,’ ‘anganwadi didi’ and ‘dawai-wali (medicine) didi,” the PM had said in his Independence Day address, sharing his dream to make two crore lakhpati didis in the country’s villages.

The Lakhpati Didi scheme aims to empower women in rural areas by encouraging them to start micro-enterprises and providing training in various skills such as plumbing, LED bulb making, drone operation and repair, tailoring, and weaving, which would enable them to earn a sustainable income of at least ₹1 lakh per annum.

Who is eligible?

As the scheme is primarily aimed at women, participants in the Lakhpati Didi Scheme must be active members of self-help groups.

Which documents are required?

Domicile certificate
Aadhar card
Ration card
Proof of income
Bank details

Application process:

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To apply for the Lakhpati Didi Scheme, women should be part of self-help groups. Additional information and application forms can be acquired from local Anganwadi centres.

Hence, the Interim Budget of FY 2024–25 has been strategically tailored with a comprehensive focus on four pivotal pillars of society: the poor, women, youth, and farmers, signifying a commitment to inclusive growth and development and addressing the core sectors that form the backbone of the nation’s progress and well-being.