Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan will administer a pledge to officials of the Agriculture and Rural Development ministries at the Pusa campus in New Delhi on 18 August, in direct response to the 'Sapt Dhara of Shakti' framework outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address. The event, confirmed through an official statement issued on Monday, marks the first institutional step toward translating the Prime Minister's vision into departmental action.

What the Programme Covers

The 18 August meeting at Pusa will bring together progressive farmers, Lakhpati Didis, agricultural exporters, and food processors alongside ministry officials. The agenda includes a review of departmental roadmaps across both ministries, the expansion of the Lakhpati Didi initiative, and key decisions concerning the welfare of farmers and rural communities. The broader goal, according to the official statement, is to build a clear and actionable roadmap toward a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

What Chouhan Said

Chouhan described the 'Sapt Dhara of Shakti' as providing 'an important direction for agriculture and rural India,' adding that the government will work to turn this vision into action through 'people-centric programs, transparent monitoring and effective implementation.' He stated: 'Our aim is to ensure that farmers and rural women benefit directly and that our efforts contribute to the realisation of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. In this direction, we will review the departmental roadmaps and work to accelerate their implementation.'

Modi's Sapt Dhara Framework

In his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Modi outlined the 'Sapt Dhara of Shakti' — a seven-pillar agenda that includes strengthening agriculture and food production, promoting food processing, and expanding access to global markets. Modi also reiterated the government's commitment to supplying fertilisers to farmers at subsidised prices amid global supply disruptions, and emphasised the need to open new international markets for Indian agricultural and marine products, including seafood. Self-reliance forms a central thread of this agenda.

Lakhpati Didi: Doubling the Target

The Lakhpati Didi programme — under the Ministry of Rural Development — will be a central focus of the meeting. As of now, three crore rural women have already achieved Lakhpati Didi status. Prime Minister Modi has set a revised target of scaling this to six crore women. Chouhan is expected to discuss the implementation roadmap for reaching this doubled target. Women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are being supported through skill development and financial assistance to build sustainable livelihoods. To strengthen market access for women-led enterprises, initiatives such as 'She-Marts' have also been included in the Union Budget, aimed at helping rural women find wider markets for their products.

What Comes Next

The 18 August pledge ceremony is the opening move in what the government has framed as a sustained implementation drive. With departmental roadmaps under review and a doubled Lakhpati Didi target now in play, the real test will be whether the momentum generated at Pusa translates into measurable outcomes for farmers and rural women across India.