Lucknow: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh is moving towards setting a new benchmark in women empowerment. The state government has set an ambitious target of linking three crore women with Self Help Groups (SHGs) to make them economically self-reliant. As part of this initiative, an extensive action plan is being rapidly implemented to develop one crore women as ‘Lakhpati Didis’ within a year.
The Chief Minister’s clear vision is to ensure that women are not merely beneficiaries of government schemes but emerge as active participants in the state’s economic growth. To achieve this, a comprehensive master plan focusing on both agricultural and non-agricultural livelihood opportunities has been prepared, keeping regional potential in mind.
Under the strategy, women are being trained and guided in sectors such as farming, animal husbandry, dairy, handicrafts, food processing, micro-enterprises and the service sector, enabling them to access sustainable and diversified sources of income.
Through the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM), a door-to-door outreach programme is being rolled out to connect women in villages with SHGs. Trained teams will identify women and link them with suitable livelihood activities. The initiative also ensures access to quick capital support, skill development and market linkages, allowing income generation to progress smoothly.
The government believes that true social and economic empowerment is not possible until women in rural areas become financially strong. With this objective, the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme is being implemented in mission mode, and officials have been instructed to deliver results with target-oriented execution.
In the coming years, the focus will extend beyond self-employment to preparing women as entrepreneurs who can also generate employment. With structured support in training, technology, finance and market access, Uttar Pradesh is fast moving towards a women-led development model, strengthening both the state’s economy and its social fabric.
