CM Dhami Highlights ₹1.5 Lakh Grant for Single Women
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on June 19, 2026, spotlighted the Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana, which grants up to ₹1.5 lakh to single women for self-employment, reinforcing the state's push toward economic independence for vulnerable women.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami publicly reaffirmed the state's commitment to single women's economic empowerment on June 19, 2026 .
The Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana provides grants of up to ₹1.5 lakh per beneficiary for self-employment ventures.
The scheme targets single women in Uttarakhand , including widows and separated women, who face heightened economic vulnerability.
The initiative aligns with the national Atmanirbhar Bharat framework, shifting welfare delivery from cash transfers to entrepreneurship support.
Possible future integration with central schemes such as Stand-Up India and Mudra Yojana could expand the programme's reach.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday, June 19, 2026, reaffirmed his government's commitment to empowering single women in the state, highlighting the Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana, which provides grants of up to ₹1.5 lakh to eligible single women for starting self-employment ventures.
Posting on X, CM Dhami wrote: 'मातृशक्ति के सशक्तिकरण और आत्मनिर्भर उत्तराखण्ड के निर्माण के संकल्प के साथ हमारी सरकार एकल महिलाओं को स्वरोजगार से जोड़ने हेतु निरंतर कार्य कर रही है' ('With the resolve to empower women and build a self-reliant Uttarakhand, our government is continuously working to connect single women with self-employment'). He added that the scheme is providing grants of up to ₹1.5 lakh to single women for self-employment and is boosting their confidence and dignity.
Context
The Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana is a state-level initiative designed specifically for single women — a category that includes widows, separated women, and others without a male earning partner — who face heightened economic vulnerability, particularly in Uttarakhand's hilly and rural regions. The scheme provides direct grant support of up to ₹1.5 lakh to help these women establish or expand small businesses and self-employment activities. CM Dhami has consistently positioned women's economic empowerment as a pillar of his administration's agenda since taking office in March 2021.
Policy Backdrop
The scheme is rooted in the broader national push toward self-reliance, aligned with India's Atmanirbhar Bharat framework announced in 2020, which encouraged states to design targeted self-employment programmes for vulnerable groups. Uttarakhand, formed in 2000, has progressively evolved its women welfare policies from general support measures to more targeted, entrepreneurship-linked initiatives. This approach marks a deliberate shift from passive cash transfers to active economic participation, giving single women the means to build sustainable livelihoods.
Stakeholders and Impact
The primary beneficiaries are single women across Uttarakhand, particularly those in remote hill districts where formal employment opportunities are scarce and social support networks are thin. By linking welfare with entrepreneurship, the scheme aims to reduce dependency and foster long-term financial independence. Women entrepreneurs in sectors such as handicrafts, food processing, and small trade stand to benefit directly from the grant support, which can serve as seed capital for new ventures.
What's Next
Observers will watch the next Uttarakhand assembly session for details on budget allocations and beneficiary numbers under the scheme. There is also potential for integration with central programmes such as Stand-Up India or the Mudra Yojana, which could scale the reach of single-women enterprises beyond state boundaries. CM Dhami's public emphasis on the scheme signals that women's self-employment will remain a visible priority for his administration in the months ahead.
Point of View
The messaging attempts to elevate the scheme beyond routine welfare optics. The focus on single women — a politically sympathetic and numerically significant demographic in hill states — signals a calculated effort to deepen the party's social base in Uttarakhand's rural constituencies. Whether the scheme's on-ground implementation matches its rhetorical prominence will be the real test of its policy impact.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana?
The Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana is an Uttarakhand state government scheme that provides grants of up to ₹1.5 lakh to single women — including widows and separated women — to help them start or expand self-employment ventures and achieve economic independence.
Who is eligible for the Uttarakhand single women self-employment scheme?
Single women residing in Uttarakhand, particularly those without a male earning partner such as widows, divorced, or separated women, are the primary target group for this scheme's grant support.
How much grant does Uttarakhand give single women for self-employment?
Under the Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana, eligible single women in Uttarakhand can receive a grant of up to ₹1.5 lakh to fund self-employment activities.
What did CM Dhami say about women empowerment in Uttarakhand?
On June 19, 2026, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami stated on X that his government is continuously working to connect single women with self-employment under the resolve to build a self-reliant Uttarakhand, and that the scheme is boosting women's confidence and dignity.
How does Uttarakhand's single women scheme relate to Atmanirbhar Bharat?
The Mukhyamantri Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana aligns with India's Atmanirbhar Bharat framework by encouraging economic self-reliance through entrepreneurship grants rather than passive cash transfers, following the national policy direction set in 2020.
