Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday, 6 June 2026, met women members of the Bihan self-help group network in village Nimdha, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district, during the ongoing Sushasan Tihar 2026 governance review programme, where the women shared their journeys of becoming Lakhpati Didis — women who have achieved annual earnings of at least Rs 1 lakh through self-help group activities.

Context

Posting on X in Hindi, CM Sai wrote: 'Sarkaar ki yojanaen jab logon ke jeevan mein badlaav laati hain, tabhi sushasan sachche arthon mein saarthak hota hai' — 'Good governance becomes truly meaningful only when government schemes bring real change in people's lives.' He described the interaction as deeply satisfying, noting that many women in the region are setting new examples of self-reliance and economic empowerment through their own hard work and resolve.

The Chief Minister added that these self-reliant women are giving fresh strength to the vision of a Viksit Chhattisgarh — a developed Chhattisgarh. The post was accompanied by a video from the village interaction.

Policy Backdrop

The Lakhpati Didi initiative is a national programme under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), formally adopted by the Ministry of Rural Development in 2023 as part of a five-year strategy to enable women in self-help groups to earn a minimum of Rs 1 lakh annually. Chhattisgarh has run women's SHG programmes under the National Rural Livelihood Mission since the mission's restructuring in 2011, covering both farm and non-farm livelihoods.

Bihan is Chhattisgarh's dedicated state SHG network, promoted under state rural development programmes for livelihood activities and women's economic empowerment. Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, one of the newest districts in the state carved out in 2019, covers predominantly tribal and rural communities in northern Chhattisgarh, making it a significant site for assessing grassroots scheme delivery.

Stakeholders and Impact

Sushasan Tihar is an annual state-level governance review event organised by the Chhattisgarh government to assess on-ground implementation of welfare schemes across districts. The BJP administration, in power since December 2023, has used such events to create direct touchpoints between senior leadership and beneficiaries, aligning with the national 'women-led development' emphasis articulated in successive Union budgets and the Atmanirbhar Bharat framework.

For rural women in districts like Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, Bihan membership has provided access to credit, skill training, and market linkages. The Lakhpati Didi milestone represents a measurable income benchmark that state and central governments use to track SHG programme outcomes.

What's Next

Progress reports on the number of Lakhpati Didis added across Chhattisgarh during 2025-26 will be a key indicator of how effectively the DAY-NRLM targets are being met at the district level. Any new budgetary announcements or scheme expansions tied to the next Sushasan Tihar cycle will signal the administration's priorities for rural women's livelihoods. The visibility given to village-level interactions during Sushasan Tihar suggests the government intends to keep scheme accountability in the public eye ahead of future electoral cycles.