Assam To Empower 30 Lakh Women with Rs 10,000 Each Through Lakhpati Didi Scheme

By: WE staff | Thursday, 27 March 2025

• Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister has announced the grant of Rs. 10,000 to each woman in Self Help Groups
• Starting from April 1, the distribution will be carried out under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan
• The scheme will empower women in SHGs throughout the state

Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass on March 26 announced the state would give Rs 10,000 to each woman in Self Help Groups (SHGs) from April 1 under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan.

Actually, Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass even told that Assam government almost wants to empower 30 lakh women in the states at a time to soon call them "Lakhpati Didis."

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified four critical segments underpinning - the poor, the youth, women and farmers-and trying to uplift them. Alongside this, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is working trying to bring farmers and women through the front door. We are doing the same," said Ranjeet.

He further explained that currently around 40 lakh women in the state belong to Self Help Groups (SHGs) and turning at least 30 lakh of these into Lakhpati Didis has been targeted. "If they earn Rs 8,000 a month, they'll earn Rs 1 lakh annually," he added. The launch date is April 1 and CM Sarma will launch the initiative.  Now, Ranjeet explained, therefore: if one woman earns Rs 1 lakh annually, then collectively 30 lakh women will have collective business of Rs 30,000 crores in a big contribution to the GDP of the state.

According to the entire finance modality, he added, "Women who plan to set a business would be given the first installment of subsidy worth Rs 10,000. The second step would be providing them with Rs 25,000-from the government Rs 12,500 and Rs 12,500 as a bank loan. Phase 3 would envision providing £50,000 to 30 million women across the state."

The biggest self-employment scheme of the continent has been introduced in Assam under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan (MMUA).  As stated by Ajanta Neog, the Finance Minister of Assam, in the Budget of the State for 2025-26, the government would seed Rs 10,000 as a seed grant to nearly 30 lakh SHG members in rural areas-with the rest almost about under two lakh in urban areas; Successful consumption of this seed grant will lay the foundation for Rs 25,000 loan with bank linkage and subsidy.

The scheme would be launched on April 1 from the Behali Assembly Constituency, being funded by the state government with an allocation of Rs. 3038 crore for the MMUA.