Over ₹19 Crore Financial Assistance Provided to “Bihan” Women Self-Help Groups for Livelihood Activities in Gauthan Good Governance Camp

Kondagaon, June 2026: At a Good Governance Festival camp held in village Badeknera, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai distributed loan assistance worth ₹19 crore 32 lakh 76 thousand to women self-help groups associated with the “Bihan” initiative to promote livelihood expansion and self-employment activities.

The financial assistance was provided to support women in strengthening existing income-generating activities and starting new ventures aimed at economic empowerment. On the occasion, the Chief Minister extended his best wishes to the women, encouraging them to become self-reliant and financially independent through sustainable livelihood options.

After receiving the cheques, members of the women’s groups expressed happiness and thanked the Chief Minister for the support, stating that the assistance would significantly help them expand their income sources.

Support Under “Lakhpati Didi” Initiative

The financial aid has been extended under the “Lakhpati Pakhwada” campaign, which is being implemented in line with the Government of India’s “Lakhpati Didi” scheme. The programme is being executed under the guidance of the district administration and District Panchayat through the District Mission Management Unit.

The objective of the campaign is to connect rural women with livelihood activities, increase their household income, and enable them to become financially self-sufficient. Under the initiative, surveys are conducted to assess the needs of women’s groups, following which loan assistance is provided to help them start or expand income-generating activities.

These activities include agriculture, animal husbandry, small-scale enterprises, and other self-employment-based ventures.

Four-Phase Implementation Model

Officials explained that the “Lakhpati Pakhwada” campaign has been implemented in four structured phases at the gram panchayat level.

In the first phase, demands and requirements for livelihood activities were collected from women group members. In the second phase, funds were allocated at the cluster level through Cluster Level Federations to Village Organisations based on the assessed requirements.

In the third phase, Village Organisations transferred the funds to the respective self-help groups. Finally, in the fourth phase, the financial assistance was directly made available to individual group members for implementation of livelihood activities.

Focus on First-Time Entrepreneurs

The district administration stated that special priority is being given to women who are engaging in livelihood activities for the first time. The initiative aims to help them increase their income and move towards becoming “Lakhpati Didis” — women earning sustainable annual incomes of at least one lakh rupees.

Officials added that the programme is expected to strengthen rural livelihoods, improve the economic condition of women in villages, and promote long-term financial independence among self-help groups.