Union Rural Development Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan continued his series of meetings with senior officials, reviewing various schemes after assuming office on Tuesday. The Minister, while examining the departmental action plan for these schemes, issued directives to reinforce the Self-Help Groups (SHGs). He emphasized that achieving the target of three crore ‘lakhpati didis’ is a personal ambition and urged everyone to strive towards meeting this goal within three years.
Shri Chouhan announced plans to convene a meeting with state rural development ministers to accelerate the Lakhpati Didi initiative. He also intends to discuss potential issues with state chief ministers to ensure smooth implementation. He commended the efforts under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and stressed the importance of enhancing branding and marketing efforts for products made by women’s SHGs.
The Minister highlighted that these women, once deemed ‘un-bankable,’ are the ‘lakhpatis of tomorrow.’ He noted that SHGs are well-positioned to address the longstanding issue of rural credit, showcasing a prime example of women-led development. It was reported that in FY 2023-24, banks disbursed Rs 2,06,636 crore in credit to over 56 lakh women SHGs, marking a five-fold increase in the number of SHGs annually receiving credit and a nearly ten-fold rise in annual credit disbursement over the past decade.
Reviewing the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Shri Chouhan acknowledged the scheme’s significant impact on transforming rural India. He directed efforts towards ensuring 100% connectivity of rural habitations with all-weather roads. He praised the new quality assurance measures for rural roads and called for their enhancement at all levels. Additionally, he urged for increased coordination with states to improve rural road maintenance throughout their design life and sought greater involvement of public representatives in the program.
Minister of State for Rural Development Shri Kamlesh Paswan, Secretary Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, and other senior officials attended the meeting.