Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that the Government is working with Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with the aim of creating 2 crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ in villages.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 77th Independence Day, PM Modi observed that 10 crore women are today associated with Women’s Self-Help Groups. “In villages today, one can find a Didi in the Bank, in the Anganwaadi and a Didi to provide medicines,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister made a strong pitch for leveraging the potential of science and technology in rural development. He said that 15,000 Women’s Self-Help Groups would be given loans and training for operating and repairing drones.
“Drone ki Udaan” will be carried out by these Women’s Self-Help Groups, PM Modi said.
He also pointed out that the cooperative movement has become a major part of the society’s economy. The newly created Cooperative Ministry is spreading its network through cooperative institutions so that the poorest of the poor are heard and their needs are met. The Ministry is facilitating them to contribute in an organized way towards the development of the nation. “We have adopted the path of prosperity through cooperation,” he added.
Giving an account of the rapid progress made in the last 10 years, the Prime Minister said that the figures tell a compelling story of change. He pointed out that 10 years ago, Rs 30 lakh crore used to go to the states from the Government of India. In the last 9 years, this figure has reached Rs 100 lakh crore.
“Earlier, Rs 70,000 crores were spent from the treasury of the Government of India for the development of local bodies, today it is more than Rs 3 lakh crore,” he added.
The Prime Minister recalled that India has improved its world ranking from the 10th largest economy in 2014 to the 5th largest in 2023 today. He explained that this rise happened due to fighting corruption, the stopping of leakages in transfer of government benefits and creation of a strong economy and spending of public money for the welfare of the poor.
“Today, I want to tell the countrymen that when the country is economically prosperous, it does not just fill the coffers; it builds the capability of the citizens and the nation. If there is a government that takes a pledge to spend this honestly for the welfare of its citizens, only then one achieves such rare progressive outcomes,” PM Modi explained.
