Lakhpati Didi

Brief
The Lakhpati Didi Yojana is a flagship initiative of the Government of India aimed at empowering rural women by transforming them into self-reliant micro-entrepreneurs who earn a sustainable annual income of at least ₹1 lakh.

Objectives
- Enable women to achieve a sustainable annual household income of ₹1,00,000 or more, averaging at least ₹10,000 per month - Provide vocational training in trades such as tailoring, food processing, LED bulb making, and drone repair - Encourage SHG members to start and scale small businesses, moving from "job seekers" to "job creators" - The government has recently enhanced the target to create 3 crore Lakhpati Didis

Eligibility Criteria
- Must be an active member of a Self-Help Group (SHG) under the DAY-NRLM
- Must be a female resident of India, specifically targeting rural and low-income households
- Generally age between 18 and 60 years (varies slightly by state)
- Preference is given to those practising at least two livelihood activities and who have completed at least two years in an SHG

Benefits
- Access to interest-free or low-interest loans (up to ₹1 lakh at concessional rates) and revolving funds
- Practical training in various sectors, including digital literacy and financial management
- Assistance with branding, packaging, and selling products through fairs (Saras Melas) and e-commerce platforms like GeM or Amazon Saheli
- Overdraft facilities (up to ₹5,000 for Jan-Dhan account holders) and credit guarantee support for individual entrepreneurs

Nodal Department
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)