Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, 25 June announced that 200 women entrepreneurs enrolled under the state's Lakhpati Didi initiative have successfully completed professional training in the hospitality sector, marking a significant milestone in the government's push for sustainable women-led enterprises across Assam.

What the Training Covered

The hospitality training programme provided participants with hands-on exposure to food preparation, hygiene standards, kitchen management, and customer service. The curriculum was designed to equip women with the practical skills needed to independently operate canteens and other food-based enterprises at a professional level.

The training was delivered in part through the ASOMI Rongali Canteens initiative, which the state government has integrated into the Lakhpati Didi framework as a real-world training and enterprise platform for women in food services.

What the Chief Minister Said

Sharing the update in a post on X, Chief Minister Sarma described the development as a 'quiet revolution' unfolding in Assam. He said the Lakhpati Didi initiative is 'not only about providing capital but also about nurturing talent,' emphasising that the government's goal is to 'transform aspirations into enterprise and create a new workforce of Lakhpati Didis and changemakers.'

Sarma added that through programmes such as the ASOMI Rongali Canteens, women are gaining 'professional skills, confidence and entrepreneurial acumen to establish and manage their own businesses.'

About the Lakhpati Didi Initiative

The Lakhpati Didi scheme targets members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), aiming to transform them into entrepreneurs earning a minimum annual income of ₹1 lakh. Beneficiaries receive a bundled package of support — financial assistance, access to bank credit, skill development, market linkages, and specialised sectoral training.

In Assam, the state government has broadened the programme's scope beyond its central mandate, embedding it within multiple livelihood verticals including food services, agriculture, handicrafts, and rural industries. This integration is part of a wider strategy to strengthen rural entrepreneurship and raise household incomes across the state.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This comes amid a sustained policy push by the Assam government to increase women's participation in the state's formal economy. The hospitality training cohort represents one of several skill verticals being activated under the Lakhpati Didi umbrella, with further sectoral expansions expected as the programme scales.

Notably, linking SHG members directly to operational enterprises such as canteens — rather than providing only financial transfers — signals a shift toward outcome-linked skilling models at the state level. How effectively these trained women are able to launch and sustain independent enterprises will be the true measure of the initiative's impact.