New Delhi, Jan 25 (PTI) Lakhpati Didis should aim to become 'crorepati', Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Saturday, as he interacted with a group of 300 women from SHGs who will participate in the 76th Republic Day celebrations as special guests.

The minister applauded the efforts of women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Lakhpati Didis.

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"Lakhpati Didis will not stop here but become 'crorepati' and 'arabpati' soon," Chouhan said, inviting suggestions from the SHG members on how to further increase their income.

Chouhan appreciated the work by Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) for the Lakhpati Didi mission, which encourages each SHG household to take up multiple livelihood activities, coupled with value chain interventions, building higher order enterprises that result in a sustainable income of Rs 1 lakh and above every year.

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He reiterated the goal of "garibi-mukt gaon (poverty-free villages)" and requested all Lakhpati Didis to convert every woman around them into a 'lakhpati'.

Union Minister of State for Rural Development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said the prime minister's dream of 'Viksit Bharat' had become a reality.

He also shared an inspiring story of Rajeshwari didi from Anantpur district, who started a small millet roti making business by taking a loan from the SHG.

Today, she earns Rs 9 lakh a year and is generating employment for others, he added.

Ministry Secretary Shailesh Kumar Singh praised SHG members working in different fields and assured full support in future endeavours.

The ministry said more than 10 crore rural women had been mobilised into 91.8 lakh SHGs.

Together, these groups have mobilised savings deposits amounting to Rs 60,000 crore, demonstrating remarkable financial discipline and reliability by keeping non-performing assets to 1.65 per cent and putting in efforts to bring even this down.

A group of 300 Lakhpati Didis from SHGs under the aegis of DAY-NRLM will participate in the 76th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path on Sunday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)