CM Dhami: Uttarakhand's Lakhpati Didi count sees unprecedented rise
Synopsis
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami says Uttarakhand is advancing strongly on women's empowerment, with an unprecedented rise in Lakhpati Didi numbers — women in self-help groups who earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually through the DAY-NRLM framework.
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand quoted CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on 28 May 2026 on women's empowerment progress.
The Lakhpati Didi initiative targets rural women in self-help groups to achieve annual earnings of at least Rs 1 lakh .
Uttarakhand adopted the Lakhpati Didi target within the DAY-NRLM framework around 2022 .
DAY-NRLM was launched by the Government of India in 2011 to promote self-employment among rural women through SHGs.
The state's approach mirrors similar campaigns in other Indian states tracking 'lakhpati' women under the same central platform.
Updated figures and possible new budget allocations are expected in the next Uttarakhand legislative session.
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand shared a statement from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday, 28 May 2026, highlighting the state's progress on women's economic empowerment and a sharp rise in the number of women enrolled under the Lakhpati Didi initiative.
Quoting Chief Minister Dhami, the post stated: 'Mahila sashaktikaran ki disha mein Uttarakhand ne mazbooti ke saath aage badh raha hai jahan mahilaen aatmanirbhar bani hain jabki Lakhpati Didi ki sankhya mein abhootpoorv vriddhi hui hai.' ['Uttarakhand is moving forward strongly in the direction of women's empowerment, where women have become self-reliant, while the number of Lakhpati Didis has seen an unprecedented rise.']
Context
The Lakhpati Didi scheme targets women members of self-help groups (SHGs), supporting them to achieve annual household earnings of at least Rs 1 lakh through skill training and livelihood activities. Uttarakhand adopted this target as part of its state-level implementation of the centrally sponsored Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). The Chief Minister's statement signals that the state considers this a flagship marker of its governance record on gender and poverty.Policy Backdrop
DAY-NRLM was launched in 2011 by the Government of India to organise rural women into SHGs and provide them financial access and skill support for income generation. Uttarakhand formalised its Lakhpati Didi target within this framework around 2022, aiming to accelerate income growth among the state's rural women. The initiative fits into a broader national push for financial inclusion and economic participation of women in rural economies, with several states setting comparable numeric milestones under the same central platform.Stakeholders and Impact
The primary beneficiaries are rural women across Uttarakhand, particularly SHG members in hill districts where livelihood options have historically been limited. Reaching the Rs 1 lakh annual income threshold is designed to reduce household poverty and strengthen women's bargaining power within families and communities. The scheme also feeds into wider state goals around reducing out-migration from hill villages by creating local income opportunities for women.What's Next
Attention will now turn to the release of updated state-level figures on the total number of Lakhpati Didis recorded so far, as well as any new budget allocations or skill-training partnerships that the Dhami government may announce in the next legislative session. Sustained momentum will depend on the depth of institutional support — credit linkages, market access, and training infrastructure — available to SHG members beyond the initial enrolment milestone.Point of View
The state government is aligning itself with a national BJP priority that has been prominently invoked at the central level. The broader significance lies in whether the 'unprecedented rise' translates into verified, sustained income gains or remains a headline figure — a distinction that will determine the scheme's long-term credibility. Uttarakhand's hill geography makes last-mile delivery harder than in plains states, making institutional depth the real test of this policy claim.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lakhpati Didi scheme in Uttarakhand?
The Lakhpati Didi scheme supports women members of self-help groups in Uttarakhand to reach annual household earnings of at least Rs 1 lakh through skill training and livelihood activities under the DAY-NRLM framework.
What did CM Pushkar Singh Dhami say about women's empowerment in Uttarakhand?
CM Dhami stated that Uttarakhand is moving forward strongly in women's empowerment, with women becoming self-reliant and the number of Lakhpati Didis seeing an unprecedented rise.
What is DAY-NRLM and how does it relate to Lakhpati Didi?
DAY-NRLM, launched in 2011, is a central government scheme that organises rural women into self-help groups. Uttarakhand uses this platform to implement its Lakhpati Didi target, adopted around 2022 to accelerate women's income growth.
How many Lakhpati Didis are there in Uttarakhand?
The exact current figure has not been officially released. CM Dhami's statement on 28 May 2026 described the increase as 'unprecedented', with updated state-level numbers expected to be published separately.
Which other Indian states have similar Lakhpati Didi programmes?
States including Bihar and Madhya Pradesh have run comparable campaigns tracking women who earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually through self-help groups under the DAY-NRLM framework.
