he Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj on Tuesday stated that around 400 women representatives from Panchayati Raj Institutions and Lakhpati Didis have been invited as special guests to the 78th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort. The offocials from the rural development ministry told news agency PTI that around 45 "Lakhpati Didis" and around 30 "Drone Didis" have also been invited as special guests to attend the Independence Day celebrations. They will be felicitated by Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday.
It should be noted that the Namo Drone Didi and Lakhpati Didi schemes are among the important initiatives of the government for fostering economic empowerment and financial autonomy among women in rural areas.
What is Namo Drone Didi scheme?
As part of the Namo Drone Didi scheme, subsidies are provided to women self-help groups (SHGs) on the purchase of drones. A "Lakhpati Didi" is an SHG member whose annual income is Rs 1 lakh or more.
Apart from this, the women Panchayati Raj representatives will be facilitated by Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lalan" on Wednesday.
A national workshop will also be organised for them on Wednesday. It will be addressed by Kiran Bedi, former lieutenant governor of Puducherry and founder, Navjyoti India Foundation, and senior ministry officials. The workshop will explore the evolving role of women representatives as well as address the practice of "Sarpanch Pati" at the grassroots level.
The ministry said the visit of the panchayat representatives to the national capital has been designed as a comprehensive and enriching experience, and will also include a visit to the Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan on 'Lakhpati Didis'
"Rural development means having a good school in the village, a good panchayat building, a good community hall, and better healthcare facilities. Therefore, infrastructure is important," he said while addressing an event.
"The Ministry of Rural Development has done amazing work in empowering women through the Aajiwika Mission. Across the country, 100 million women are connected to the Aajiwika Mission. These women have not only transformed their own lives but are also playing a significant role in changing India’s economy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the goal of increasing the number of 'Lakhpati Didis' from 1 crore to 3 crores. Why should there be any poor people in the village? That’s why we have a dream, a resolve: a poverty-free village," the Union Minister added.
(With inputs from PTI)
