Guwahati: The IIM Calcutta Innovation Park is keen to promote the 'lakhpati didis', or women entrepreneurs selected from self-help groups (SHGs) with the potential to earn at least Rs 1 lakh each year as part of the government's initiatives.

The 'Lakhpati Didi' program, implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development, India, aims to empower women in rural areas through economic empowerment and financial independence.

Many of these entrepreneurs from Assam - including Anjana Barman, Tulika Gogoi Swargiary, Kanika Talukdar, Renu Mahanta, Tanumaya Sonar Biswakarma, Banima Brahma, Padumi Kardong, Amrit Madhuri Devi, and Rina Baruah - have had the opportunity to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 'Sashakt Nari – Viksit Bharat' program in New Delhi in March. The founders of nine enterprises from Assam incubated under the National Rural Employment Mission (NRLM) and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP)-led National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) Incubator Program had been selected under the Government of India’s Lakhpati Didi Yojana.

The 'Didis' are self-help group members earning an annual household income of Rs 1 lakh or more, which is calculated for at least four agricultural seasons and business cycles. These members inspire the community through sustainable livelihood practices, resource management, and achieving a decent standard of life. SHG groups foster collective action, financial literacy, skill development, and livelihood assistance.

The focus has shifted beyond social and financial inclusion to empower members to pursue entrepreneurial ventures, leveraging their inherent skills and potential to move towards higher income brackets. The government is actively supporting this transition and initiatives like Lakhpati Didi.

The initiative facilitates diversified livelihood activities by ensuring convergence across government departments, the private sector, and market players, with focused planning, implementation, and monitoring at all levels.

"In the Northeast, there are specific targets to achieve regarding this programme", an official informed Business North East. "Looking at the northeastern states, the target for Assam is 8.80 lakh, Manipur is 0.51 lakh, Meghalaya at 1.02 lakh, Mizoram 0.18 lakh, Nagaland 0.30 lakh, Sikkim 0.14 lakh, and Tripura 1.13 lakh."

The households will be facilitated and enabled to take up diversified income-generating activities. Trained Community Resource Persons will be facilitating the Livelihood Planning using a tool and uploading it to a digital platform for further consolidation and resource linkages as maintained by the Ministry of Rural Development.

An IIM Calcutta Innovation Park representative said, “The enterprises are working with under the NRLM program that is rural economic transformation program. In Assam, they are linked with 150 SHGs. Each of their owners or main lead is a member of the SHGs. When the Lakhpati Didi scheme was announced they also came under that scheme. IIM has identified 20-25 enterprises that are earning well. This value must be around Rs 8-10 lakh and even more. These names are given to the government of Assam."

Women from several districts including Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Lakhimpur, and Biswanath, have been selected under the programme.

"Along with IIM, many other organizations are also associated with this scheme", the representative added. The IIM is working under the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP), Business North East learned for this initiative.

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