Women Drive UP Rural Economy via Samarthya Milk Model

By: WE Staff | Monday, 16 February 2026

• Women have become a significant component of the rural economy in Uttar Pradesh
• An organized dairy system has assisted women in increasing their earnings
• The project runs under the Samarthya Milk Producer Company

Yogi Adityanath has overseen the transformation of women into key participants in Uttar Pradesh's rural economy.

With an organized dairy system established, female residents across six districts have increased their income potential and created more jobs in the rural economy.

The development of the Samarthya Milk Producer Company has resulted in the formation of a cooperative for the benefit of members from approximately 1,500 villages located within the Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Raebareli, Amethi, Pratapgarh, and Kanpur Nagar districts. This cooperative has generated more than ₹850 Crore in sales.

Within the cooperative network, approximately 3.75 lakh liters of milk are purchased each day from women who previously only performed domestic tasks. This provides a reliable revenue stream to rural women via their involvement in dairying and their contribution to the family income.

Women involved in dairy farming in the six districts, have now been able to demonstrate substantial growth in their own income. Approximately 14,500 women have become ‘Lakhpati Didis’, helping improve the financial security of their households and increasing participation in local leadership roles.

To date, the program has been able to provide approximately ₹14 Crores as dividend payments. The establishment of regular payment dates combined with a transparent payment process has provided a level of trust in the system and has contributed to the sustainability of the dairy farming industry.

The initiative promotes self-sufficiency amongst rural women while providing new income opportunities in villages. The women-led dairy network has been instrumental in furthering economic development for rural areas in Uttar Pradesh and will continue to do so through future initiatives.