The objective of the State Rural Livelihoods Mission is to make the Women's Empowerment Scheme a role model for the country — Keshav Prasad Maurya

• by Raj Singh
• 2026-03-17 22:54:00

Today, Keshav Prasad Maurya presided over a high-level meeting at his official residence—7 Kalidas Marg, Lucknow—with officials from the State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM) and partner organizations (NGOs). The meeting was attended by representatives from Transform Rural India, The Nudge, GDI, PCI India, MicroSave Consulting (MSC), and the HCL Foundation.

**Target of 1 Crore 'Lakhpati Didis':** The Deputy Chief Minister has set a new target of creating 1 crore 'Lakhpati Didis' (women earning an annual income of ₹1 lakh or more) across the state, with the aim of improving the economic status of women members belonging to Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Previously, this target stood at 35 lakhs, which has now been significantly expanded in scope.

**Income Enhancement:** A target has been set to increase the income of 35 lakh potential 'Lakhpati Didis' (PLDs) by 40% over the next three years. **Institutional Framework:** A robust institutional and systemic framework will be developed to provide support to 1 crore SHG members. Under this initiative, Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) will be further strengthened. **Digital Livelihoods:** Under the Mission, 35 lakh Digital Livelihood Registers (DARs) have been created to date, and plans are in place to train 60,000 Community Resource Persons (CRPs). **Departmental Convergence:** Emphasis was placed on convergence and coordination with various government departments (such as Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Panchayati Raj, and MSME) to ensure the effective implementation of government schemes, thereby enabling women to derive maximum benefit from public capital and resources. **Drones and 'Krishi Sakhis':** To promote modern technology in rural areas, training will be provided to 'Drone Didis,' while special support will be extended to 'Krishi Sakhis' to encourage natural farming practices. Efforts should be undertaken in alignment with the 'Har Dwar Aapki Sarkar' (Your Government at Every Doorstep) initiative. Rural women should be empowered through coordination with the Food Processing Department regarding products such as pulses, spices, edible oils, and other food items. Furthermore, the number of battery-operated rickshaws and 'Bank Sakhis' (women banking correspondents) should be increased, and these initiatives should be linked with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). Retail stores should be established at both urban and rural levels to facilitate the sale of products manufactured by the groups.

The meeting was attended by Saurabh Babu, Principal Secretary (Rural Development); G.S. Priyadarshi, Commissioner (Rural Development) and Director (State Livelihood Mission); along with senior officials and representatives from key partner organizations such as the HCL Foundation and Transform Rural India (TRI).

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