On the initiative of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Lakhpati Didi scheme launched in 2022 has already helped over 1.63 lakh women in Uttarakhand cross the mark of ₹1 lakh in annual income. Now, in its fifth year, the government is introducing another game-changing scheme, Jalsakhi, aimed at increasing livelihood opportunities for rural women. Under this scheme, responsibilities like rural drinking water supply and billing will be handed over to women’s self-help groups (SHGs).
The Har Ghar Nal (tap water in every home) scheme in Uttarakhand is nearing its target. The drinking water department is now preparing to streamline the water supply system under this scheme. Tasks like providing new connections, bill distribution and correction, bill collection, and maintenance of schemes in rural areas will be outsourced to women SHGs. Additionally, the department will provide water quality testing kits to these SHGs. The groups will also report any malfunction in the water supply systems. For this, selected SHGs will be trained as Nal Jal Mitras (Tap Water Assistants).
This pilot project will also offer an incentive of ₹10 per bill to these groups, along with a share in the revenue. This initiative will help rural women earn from home and gain an additional source of livelihood.
Lakhpati Didi Yojana
The Lakhpati Didi scheme was launched in 2022 with the aim of enabling 5.07 lakh women associated with SHGs to earn over ₹1 lakh per year. These women are being trained and linked to income-generating activities like agriculture, horticulture, dairy, tailoring and embroidery, LPG distribution, basic veterinary services, insurance, and digital transactions. In just three years, 1.63 lakh women have already become lakhpatis. Seeing the scheme’s success, the government now aims to make a total of 3 lakh women Lakhpati Didis by the end of this financial year.
Mukhyamantri Sashakt Bahna Utsav Yojana
To further strengthen women’s livelihoods, the Dhami government launched the Mukhyamantri Sashakt Bahna Utsav Yojana in August 2023. Currently, more than 30,000 women in the state are benefiting from this scheme. So far, these women SHGs have done business worth ₹4.93 crore under this initiative. The scheme’s objective is to provide wider market access for products made by women SHGs.
House Of Himalayas
To promote Uttarakhand’s traditional handicrafts, woven products, organic agricultural goods, and herbs, the government launched a unified brand – House of Himalayas – in December 2023. This brand was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has since gained national and international visibility. It features 36 products, 12 of which have received Geographical Indication (GI) tags, confirming their authenticity and linking them to specific districts in Uttarakhand.
Currently, House of Himalayas has 11 stalls at state airports, helipads, and major hotels. Its products are also available through various e-commerce platforms.
“The government is making consistent efforts to empower women in every way. Women’s self-help groups are being connected to various economic activities. In line with this, we are now working to increase women’s participation in water supply management as well. This scheme could prove to be a game-changer in improving the financial well-being of women,” said Uttrakhand CM, Pushkar Singh Dhami.
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