- Lakhpati Didi Yojana is transforming tribal communities in Gujarat’s South Dang region through sustainable development and women empowerment
- The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to create 2 crore Lakhpati Didis (women earning ₹1 lakh+ annually)
- Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has played a key role in driving the scheme’s success in Gujarat
The Lakhpati Didi Yojana is creating a huge impact in Gujarat's South Dang district, combining sustainable growth with women empowerment. Initiated under the mission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make two crore "Lakhpati Didis" — women who earn a minimum of ₹1 lakh per annum — the programme is picking up pace in the state under the able leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Initiated by the South Dang Forest Division, the program offers tribal women sustainable means of livelihood through plantation activity and nursery development. In 2023–24, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have propagated 8.5 lakh saplings, directly impacting 40 tribal women, who have earned ₹35 lakh wages credited to their bank accounts by the Forest Department.
The program is more than just financial support, providing in-practice skills in managing a nursery—seed sowing, pruning, composting, and watering—combined with the basic financial management skills of banking and budgeting. This integral approach empowers women not just to earn but to manage and expand their money on their own.
Salaries are paid directly into the women's accounts, promoting transparency and independence. More women have been encouraged to enroll through awareness campaigns, increasing the coverage of the scheme.
What distinguishes this scheme is its revolutionary social outcome. The women who previously remained confined to domestic roles are now becoming entrepreneurs and leaders of communities, contributing actively to village decision-making processes. Their transformation from homemakers to financially independent women stands as proof of the success of the scheme.
The social impact is also significant. The saplings raised by these women help in afforestation and eco-restoration activities in South Dang's ecologically fragile region. This not only increases biodiversity but also climate resilience and cover of greenery.
Authorities term the program as "true circular development," as every sapling planted signifies both ecological regeneration and women empowerment. Its dual emphasis on livelihood and sustainability, the Lakhpati Didi Yojana is a model for holistic rural development.
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