Bareilly: District Magistrate Avinash Singh chaired a review meeting of the District-Level Coordination Committee under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) at the Collectorate auditorium, directing officials to accelerate the formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and strengthen livelihood initiatives for rural women.
During the meeting, officials informed that 27,028 families have been covered under various livelihood and empowerment initiatives since April 2026, against the overall saturation target of 566,000 families. For the financial year 2026–27, the district has been assigned a target of forming 26,883 Self-Help Groups.
The District Magistrate directed officials to prioritise the enrolment of women holding ration cards into SHGs so they can benefit from self-employment and livelihood enhancement schemes. Expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of work in Baheri development block, he ordered the immediate removal of the concerned Block Mission Manager (BMM) and sought an explanation from the District Mission Manager (DMM). He also instructed officials to set daily targets to speed up implementation.
Reviewing block-wise progress, Singh directed that at least five Self-Help Groups should be formed every month in each Gram Panchayat to achieve the annual target within the stipulated timeframe.
Officials informed the meeting that under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) of the Ministry of Rural Development, the Government of India aims to increase the annual income of three crore women members of Self-Help Groups across the country to ₹1 lakh or more over the next three years through the Lakhpati Didi Programme.
For Bareilly district, a target has been set to significantly enhance the income of 58,056 women SHG members under the programme. To achieve this objective, women will be provided technical training and skill development in both agriculture-based and non-farm livelihood activities, enabling them to establish sustainable income-generating enterprises.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of Prerna Canteens, with officials reporting that 31 Prerna Canteens are currently operational in the district. The state government has now assigned a target of establishing nine Model Prerna Canteens, and locations have already been identified in Baheri, Faridpur, Majhgawan, and Nawabganj, where the new facilities are expected to become operational soon.
The meeting was attended by Chief Development Officer Devyani, the Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), the District Coordinator of NRLM, all Block Development Officers, NRLM officials, and other concerned officers.
Report by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena from Bareilly.
