Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], September 18 (ANI): For thousands of women in Chhattisgarh, a Rs 1,000 monthly payment under the Mahatari Vandan Yojana is becoming more than household support. Combined with access to credit, self-help groups and livelihood opportunities, the regular assistance is helping women build stable sources of income.
Since November 2024, under the Mahatari Shakti Rin Yojana, around 41,124 beneficiaries have availed collateral-free self-employment loans worth Rs 102.38 crore. The scheme supplements the Mahatari Vandan Yojana and is aimed at helping small-scale livelihoods expand.
“Loans under the scheme help women engaged in vegetable vending, artisanal work and other small-scale livelihoods expand their businesses and strengthen their household incomes – helping realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Lakhpati Didis’,” said Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
The Mahatari Vandan Yojana, with around 68 lakh beneficiaries, is one of the biggest schemes in the state. Rs 20,075.38 crore in 31 instalments have been released so far. This year, the state budget has earmarked Rs 8,200 crore for the scheme.
For many, the impact of the scheme is magnified when the monthly assistance is combined with credit and livelihood activities.
In Andi village of Gourela-Pendra-Marwahi district, Ranu Kaivart has built an annual income of Rs 3 lakhs through a mix of tailoring, clothing and grocery businesses supplemented by quail and country-chicken rearing and a hatchery. Financial assistance and access to credit have been instrumental in her success.
In Gudumdevari, Sita Maravi used a Rs 25,000 bank loan to set up a grocery shop and another Rs 50,000 loan through her SHG for poultry. Her annual income has risen to around Rs 2–2.5 lakh.
A fellow villager, Suman Lata Wakre, began with Rs 15,000 from her SHG to start a grocery shop. She later expanded the business with bank credit. The shop now earns her more than Rs 1 lakh annually.
In Ramgarh of Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district, Keju Bai Salame has taken a different approach. She uses the Rs 1,000 she receives every month under Mahatari Vandan as working capital to replenish her grocery stock. The steady flow of money helps her keep the business running and increase sales as she works towards becoming a Lakhpati Didi.
The Mahatari Vandan Yojana, launched in the virtual presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 10, 2024, has played a significant role in shaping Chhattisgarh’s approach towards the larger Lakhpati Didi goal.
Under the Lakhpati Didi initiative, 13.85 lakh women members of Self-Help Groups in Chhattisgarh have already entered the Lakhpati Didi category. This is a significant achievement for the state’s rural economy.
Budgetary provision for the Lakhpati Didi Bhraman Yojana has been made for Lakhpati Didis to visit business and economic centres across the country and within the state, besides visiting major Shakti Peeths, keeping their religious faith in view.
The various initiatives and schemes, when taken together, point to a simple progression. Mahatari Vandan provides a predictable financial base, self-help groups bring women together and improve access to resources, credit provides capital and enterprise turns that capital into income.
From the Vishnu model of Mahatari Vandan to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Lakhpati Didis, Chhattisgarh’s experience is increasingly being framed around the transition from receiving support to using it as a stepping stone towards greater economic independence. (ANI)
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