Page 25 - NIS ENGLISH 1-15 May, 2026

New India and
Lakhpati Didi Scheme
51,852 ‘Bank Sakhis’ have been
deployed to facilitate credit
access for self-help groups.
n The government has surpassed the historic
milestone of 3 crore Lakhpati Didis more
than a year ahead of the original deadline of
March 2027.
n Women are now strong partners in economic
growth, and this scheme represents a
new force driving women's economic
participation.
n Through self-help groups, women's incomes
are being enhanced to foster self-reliance.
n India is home to approximately 1.2 crore
self-help groups, 88 percent of which are
exclusively women-only groups.
n As of December 2025, over 10.05 crore
women have been enrolled across 90.91 lakh
SHGs under the DAY-NRLM.
n Loans totalling ₹11.86 lakh crore have been
disbursed to these self-help groups.
n The limit for collateral-free loans available to
women's self-help groups has been increased
from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh.
n A new and ambitious target has now been set
to create 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by March
2029, thereby doubling both the scale and the
aspiration of this initiative.
Swachh Bharat Mission
12 crore+ toilets have been n This has marked a new beginning of dignity
and respect. The compulsion of open
constructed, ensuring women’s
defecation has now become a thing of the past.
safety, cleanliness, and dignity.
Women-led
Leadership
Cover Story
PM Ujjwala
11
Approx
Crore Ujjwala connections
have provided relief from
daily struggles, leaving
behind the hardships of
smoke-filled kitchens.
n This initiative has made life easier for women by
ensuring better health and granting them approximately
3 hours of extra time every day. Smoke-filled kitchens
are now a thing of the past.
PM Awas
constructed under the Pradhan Mantri
3 crore Houses have been successfully
Awas Yojana-Gramin as of April 9, 2026.
n Under the PM Awas Yojana (Gramin), 72 percent of the
houses are under the sole or joint ownership of women,
thereby providing them with a strong foundation for
economic and social empowerment alongside secure housing.
n There is strong participation of women in house ownership.
n Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), out of the
97.3 lakh houses handed over by March 2, 2026, 96 lakh
houses are registered in the name of women or are held
under joint ownership with a male family member.
Jan Dhan: Economic Self-Reliance
57.99 Crore Jan Dhan 32.33+
accounts opened as
of April 1, 2026.
bank Crore Jan Dhan
56% accounts are accounts are
connecting women
in the names of women, to the formal
who have now emerged banking sector.
as the heroes of banking.
n The power of banking now rests directly in
the hands of women.
n The UN has also acknowledged that this
Indian model serves as an inspiration to the
world; it paves a new path for the economic
empowerment of women and girls.
May 01-15, 2026 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 23