The Lakhpati Didi is a concept and a national initiative of the Government of India, not an act or a judgment, aimed at the economic empowerment of rural women. A "Lakhpati Didi" is defined as a woman who is a member of a Self-Help Group (SHG) and has achieved a sustainable annual household income of at least Rupees One Lakh (₹1,00,000). This income must be sustained across at least four agricultural seasons or business cycles, ensuring an average monthly income exceeding ₹10,000.
The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2023. It originated as an outcome of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development. The core problem it solves is gender inequality and poverty in rural areas by transforming the lives of women through sustainable livelihood practices.
The mechanism works by leveraging the existing network of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), which are the backbone of the initiative. The strategy involves deepening, strengthening, and expanding livelihood options for SHG members through diversified income-generating activities. Key provisions include providing timely support in the form of assets, skills, access to finance (such as bank linkages and loans), and market access (including branding and e-commerce). Financial support is facilitated through instruments like a Revolving Fund of ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 per eligible SHG and Community Investment Funds of up to ₹2.50 lakh. The initiative also focuses on capacity building through structured training programs and the deployment of Community Resource Persons (CRPs).
The Lakhpati Didi initiative connects directly to the broader DAY-NRLM and other women empowerment schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and Mission Shakti. It also utilizes the financial inclusion infrastructure created by the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana for bank accounts and collateral-free loans. The program has seen a significant change recently: the initial target of creating two crore Lakhpati Didis was enhanced to three crore in the Union Budget 2024, recognizing the success of the scheme. The core definition and mechanism, however, have stayed the same, focusing on the individual SHG member achieving the ₹1 lakh annual income threshold.