Saroj Maurya, who is working as a BC Sakhi along with studies, is taking banking services to the villages. Earlier rural women used to hesitate in going to the bank. Now the facility of deposit-withdrawal, pension distribution and digital payment is available in his village itself. BC Sakhis have so far done financial transactions worth about Rs 40 thousand crore in the state and have earned a dividend of more than Rs 107 crore. This shows that women have now become an important part of the financial system.
More than 9 lakh self-help groups active
More than 9 lakh self-help groups have been formed in the state. 63,519 village organizations and 3272 cluster level associations are active, to which more than 99 lakh women are associated. Under the Lakhpati Mahila Yojana, more than 18 lakh women have reached the Lakhpati category. This change is not just the result of government planning, but is evidence of collective effort and social change.
Under Lakhpati Didi Yojana, women associated with self-help groups are provided phased, interest-free and easy loans for small scale industries and self-employment. With this, women can start their own business without any big risk. This is the reason why the number of self-reliant women is continuously increasing in the state. These stories from Uttar Pradesh show that when given opportunity, training and confidence, women can set new standards of success in any field. ‘Lakhpati Didi’ is no longer just a scheme but has become a powerful symbol of change in the rural economy.