Since the inception of the Lakhpati Didi Yoajna, one crore women have already been made Lakhpati Didis and the government has set a target of three crore Lakhpati Didis
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, August 25, 2024: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi participated in Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in Jalgaon, Maharashtra today. He handed out certificates and felicitated 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis who recently became Lakhpati during the third term of the present government. The Prime Minister also interacted with Lakhpati Didis from across the country. Shri Modi released a Revolving Fund of Rs 2,500 crore, benefiting about 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHG). He also disbursed bank loans of Rs 5,000 crore which will benefit 25.8 lakh members of 2.35 lakh SHGs. Since the inception of the Lakhpati Didi Yoajna, one crore women have already been made Lakhpati Didis and the government has set a target of three crore Lakhpati Didis.
The PM paid condolences to the victims of the bus accident tragedy in Tanahun, Nepal where several people from Jalgaon lost their lives. He informed that the authorities contacted their Nepalese counterparts as soon as the mishap took place and Union Minister Rakshatai Khadse was sent to Nepal. He said that the mortal remains of the deceased have been brought by special Air Force aircraft and those injured are being looked after. He prayed for their speedy recovery and assured all possible assistance from the Central and State Governments.
Modi said, “Today, funds of more than Rs 6000 Crore were disbursed for lakhs of Women SHGs spanning across India. Today when India is striving to become developed, our women power is once again coming forward,” emphasized Shri Modi. Lauding the women of Maharashtra for their efforts, Shri Modi said “I see the impression of Rajmata Jijabai and Savitribai Phule in all of you.”
Modi informed that 1 crore Lakhpati Didis were made during the last 10 years, while 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis were created in the past two months alone. “1 lakh Lakhpati Didis were made in Maharashtra also”, he said. The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of the state government and underlined that the entire team of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers have come together to empower and strengthen the women in Maharashtra by initiating multiple new schemes and programs.
Underlining that the Lakhpati Didi campaign is not just a way to boost the income of mothers and sisters but a mega campaign to strengthen the family and future generations, the Prime Minister said that it is transforming the rural economy. “Every woman present here knows that her social position in society is elevated when she starts to make a living”, the Prime Minister exclaimed, noting that the purchasing power of a family also goes up with an increase in income. “Fortunes of an entire family are transformed when one sister becomes Lakhpati Didi”, he added.
Drawing parallels from the 10 years of the present government with the seven decades of previous governments, the Prime Minister remarked that the present government did more work in the interest of women than any other previous governments of the past. Most of the 4 crore houses built so far have been registered under the name of women. The Prime Minister assured that even in the upcoming 3 crore houses being built, most of them will be registered in the name of women.
Emphasizing the reforms undertaken in the banking sector, Shri Modi said that even in the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, most bank accounts were opened in the name of women. He emphasized that about 70 percent of the beneficiaries of Pradhan Manti Mudra Yojana are mothers and sisters of the nation. Even in Swanidhi, loans were being given without guarantee, whose benefits had reached the women-folk. Shri Modi added that his government had extended benefits without guarantee to many women of the Vishwakarma families, who are doing handicrafts.
He informed that bank loans worth less than Rs 25,000 crore were sanctioned for self-help groups in 2014, while today that number has risen to Rs9 lakh crore in the last 10 years. He gave examples of more than 1.25 lakh bank sakhis providing banking services in every village, women becoming drone pilots to assist in modern farming with drones, and training 2 lakh pashu sakhis to help the livestock farmers.
The Prime Minister noted that safety of the women is a top priority of the nation along with their empowerment. Shri Modi added, “I understand the pain and anger of my sisters and daughters, irrespective of the states.”
Shri Modi said, “Governments may change, but our biggest responsibility as a society and as a government should be to protect the life and dignity of women.”
The Prime Minister underlined that the government is constantly making laws stricter to give the harshest punishment to those who commit atrocities on women. He informed that victims can register e-FIR if they do not wish to go to the police station and measures are in place to ensure swift action and no tampering with e-FIR at the police station level. He said that it would help in speedy investigation and strict punishment for the culprits. The Prime Minister further informed that the new laws have provisions for death penalty and life imprisonment for sexual crimes against minors. He also stated that BNS clearly defines false promises of marriage and deception to act against cheating in the name of marriage.
He highlighted that Maharashtra is becoming a center of attraction for investors from all over the world and the state’s future lies in more and more investments and new job opportunities.
Governor of Maharashtra, C P Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnvis and Ajit Pawar, and Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chauhan were present on the occasion among others.
