PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The State administration has claimed that Uttarakhand has recorded 3.03 lakh Lakhpati Didis by the financial year 2025-26. The State government is now aiming to create 1.12 lakh more Lakhpati Didis in 2026-27.
According to officials, the State government has implemented several important schemes under the Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission to empower women and strengthen the rural economy. The Lakhpati Didi scheme was launched in November 2022. By the end of the financial year 2025-26, a total of 3,03,696 women have become Lakhpati Didis, demonstrating self-reliance by increasing their annual income to over one lakh rupees.
Officials informed that rural women associated with self-help groups are strengthening their economies through various businesses, supported by State government subsidies and loan schemes. In particular, women have adopted occupations such as organic farming, food processing and spice manufacturing. The State government has made special arrangements for the processing, sale, and easy access to markets for products from self-help groups. To this end, 24 growth centres, 33 nano packaging units and 17 Saras centres are being operated.
The officials further inform that the “House of Himalayas” brand has provided national and international recognition to products produced by women self-help groups and rural women. Officials added that under the Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission, efforts are continuously underway to empower women in groups. A total of 519,943 women have been organised in 95 blocks across all 13 districts of the State, forming 70,767 groups, 8,179 village organisations and 615 cluster-level federations (CLFs).
Expressing happiness, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “Women power is the biggest driver of Uttarakhand’s economic and social revolution. Women associated with self-help groups are not only becoming economically self-reliant but are also playing a leading role in the State’s development. These groups are being linked to various economic activities to develop new sources of income. Our government is committed to respecting, securing and economically empowering women at every level.’’
