Dairy Revolution in Bundelkhand: 86,000 Women Becoming Self-Reliant Through a Strong Dairy Value Chain

Rising incomes of rural women through the dairy industry in Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Banda, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Mahoba and Lalitpur

3,600 self-help groups unified under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision

Dairy enterprise emerges as a strong source of income for women in 952 villages

Lucknow, January 2026 : Bundelkhand is no longer identified only with hardship and migration. Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the dairy value chain has emerged as one of the most reliable instruments of economic empowerment for women in the region. Through dairy-based livelihoods in Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Banda, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Mahoba and Lalitpur, more than 86,000 rural women are scripting a new story of self-reliance.

To make dairy farming in Bundelkhand organised, transparent and profitable, a women-led producer company named Balini was established. Run entirely by women milk producers, the organisation has transformed the rural economy. By joining this model, women are no longer dependent on middlemen. Their produce now reaches the market directly and fetches fair prices, ensuring better and stable incomes.

New employment opportunities created through milk collection, testing and digital payments
Under the dairy value chain project, over 86,000 women from 3,600 self-help groups across 952 villages in the seven districts of Bundelkhand have been brought together. Systems for milk collection, quality testing, digital payments and direct market linkage have significantly enhanced women’s earnings. This has also created new employment opportunities at the village level and accelerated local economic activity.

Rural women emerging as drivers of large-scale economic change through collective effort
The Yogi government envisions women’s economic strength as the backbone of rural development. With this objective, dairy projects in Bundelkhand are being rapidly expanded. The Balini Milk Producer Company has not only become a successful dairy business model but also stands as a powerful example of how collective effort and proper guidance can enable rural women to lead transformative economic change.

The success of the dairy value chain in Bundelkhand is a clear testament to the impact of schemes implemented under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership. Rural women are now a strong pillar of the region’s development, actively contributing to prosperity and inclusive growth.