DAY-NRLM Push for 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis

The Union Minister for Rural Development reviewed the progress of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) in New Delhi and called for a focused, time-bound strategy to achieve the revised target of creating 6 crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’. The meeting brought into light the role of financial inclusion, state coordination and better fund utilisation in strengthening rural women’s livelihoods.

Mission Review and New Target

Officials presented the latest implementation status of DAY-NRLM, which is a major rural poverty alleviation and women’s empowerment programme. The Minister expressed satisfaction with the overall performance but stressed that the new target requires faster execution on a war footing. He said that achieving 6 crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ will depend on connecting at least 10 crore women to financial inclusion initiatives.

Focus on Financial Inclusion

The Minister underlined that financial inclusion is central to women’s empowerment in rural India. He asked officials to ensure wider access to:

• Bank linkages for Self-Help Groups.
• Credit support for livelihood activities.
• Insurance coverage under social security schemes.
• Financial literacy for better money management.

He said that SHG members must be enabled to become economically independent and self-reliant.

Budget Use and State Coordination

The Minister directed the Ministry to ensure optimal use of the mission budget. States with weak performance or low fund utilisation are to receive guidance, handholding and encouragement. He stressed that continuous engagement with state governments is necessary for effective implementation and for extending benefits to more SHGs and rural women.

Mission Components and Progress

DAY-NRLM works through four major components:

• Institutional building and capacity development.
• Social inclusion and social development.
• Financial inclusion.
• Livelihood promotion.

The mission has extended about ₹1.5 lakh crore through bank linkages, connected around 5 crore people with financial literacy initiatives, and provided insurance benefits to nearly 7 crore people. The government said these measures support an inclusive and self-reliant rural economy.