Hyderabad, February 21 Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said the Centre would strive to achieve the target of creating six crore 'Lakhpati Didis' under the rural livelihoods mission by 2029-30.
He said the previous target set by PM Modi to create three crore 'Lakhpati Didis' by the end of 2027 was achieved by 2025 with the contribution of the rural development ministry's team, bankers, and also state governments.
Chouhan was speaking during the Central Level Coordination Committee (CLCC) Meeting and the National Launch event under DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission) here.
Explaining the term, he said 'Lakhpati Didi' refers to a woman whose annual net income is one lakh rupees or more.
As of now, 3.01 crore women have achieved this milestone.
Addressing reporters, he said, "Now, the Prime Minister has revised the target. He said now we have to create six crore 'Lakhpati Didis'. 10 crore sisters have joined us in Self Help Groups (SHGs). The target is to make six crore 'Lakhpati. We have prepared a roadmap for it."
He noted that it was relatively easier to achieve the target of three crore 'Lakhpati Didis' because the income of many women was between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000.
However, increasing the income of women with lower earnings would require greater effort.
"We will try to achieve this target by 2029-30. It is more difficult than in the past," he added.
Chouhan said the government would launch a special drive to enroll women who are not yet part of the SHGs into the groups.
He said that while the Non-Performing Assets (NPA) of "big people" is high, the NPA rate of SHG women stands at 1.7 percent, reflecting their strong loan repayment record.
Chouhan noted that in the last 12 years, the SHG women received loans totaling Rs 12 lakh crore. The target is to lend Rs 10 lakh crore in five years (Rs two lakh crore per year).
Responding to the demand of SHG women for individual loans, he said the government has fixed a target of disbursing Rs 1.50 lakh crore in loans to help the SHG members become entrepreneurs.
The Minister added that the government aims to cover 90 per cent of SHG members under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana, so that families are secured with loans, insurance, and pensions.
Chouhan criticised the previous BRS government in Telangana for allegedly not availing the benefit of PM Awas Yojana' and then returning funds in 2023 (when it demitted office).
"...I am telling you the facts. Poor brothers and sisters in rural areas in Telangana were deprived of the benefit of PM Awas Yojana. I am happy that the CM and rural development minister here wrote a letter that they want to join the PM Awas Yojana. We are happy to take them on board," he said.