TV
In a landmark achievement under the Central government’s flagship Lakhpati Didi initiative, Odisha has emerged as the top-performing state, empowering over 16 lakh rural women to become annual lakhpatis. The success was celebrated in a grand event at Janta Maidan, Bhubaneswar, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally felicitated several outstanding women achievers from tribal and rural communities.
Among the honourees was Kabita Singh, a tribal Santhal woman who runs a successful poultry enterprise and has crossed the Rs 1 lakh annual income mark. Similarly, Lusa Ganik from Jharsuguda district was recognised as a ‘Maha Lakhpati Didi’ for earning over Rs 12 lakh annually through her diversified livelihood activities.
Another inspiring figure awarded at the event was Samari Jhigdi, a member of the indigenous Bonda tribe from Malkangiri, who has turned her traditional skills into a viable source of income, representing the spirit of tribal entrepreneurship.
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According to official data, Odisha has achieved over 82% of its Lakhpati Didi target, with 1.44 million women already crossing the Rs 1 lakh annual income milestone. The state aims to expand this number to 25 lakh women by 2027, focusing on building at least five lakhpati didis per village.
Speaking at the event, PM Modi lauded the resilience and enterprise of Odisha’s women, calling them “the architects of a new rural economy.” He emphasized that the programme is not just about income generation, but about dignity, independence, and rural transformation.
Also recognised at the event was Sumati Mundari from Keonjhar, who started with a loan of Rs 4 lakh and now earns over Rs 1.6 lakh annually through a combination of poultry, dairy, and vegetable farming.
The state government, under CM Mohan Majhi, has enhanced financial support for self-help groups (SHGs) by doubling the Revolving Fund to Rs 30,000 and increasing the Community Investment Fund from Rs 35 lakh to Rs 60 lakh per block. Additionally, women SHGs are now eligible for zero-interest loans up to Rs 10 lakh under the Subhadra Yojana.
Odisha’s achievement is being hailed as a national model for rural women’s empowerment, particularly among tribal populations, turning the vision of a self-reliant India into a grassroots reality.
