One crore women from eligible rural households will be mobilised under a new campaign to join Self-Help Groups (SHGs) promoted by the Ministry of Rural Development’s Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

The campaign “Sangathan Se Samridhhi– Leaving no Rural Woman Behind,” was launched by Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Samaveshi Vikaas.

The special drive, which will go on till 30th June, is touted to bring all vulnerable and marginalized rural households under the SHG fold to enable them to draw benefits provided under the programme.

The campaign’s primary objective is to mobilize disadvantaged rural communities unaware of the benefits of the DAY-NRLM programme. The campaign will be organized in all states, with the expectation of forming more than 1.1 lakh SHGs during the period through various interventions.

Giriraj Singh said: “I am pleased that on the occasion of celebrating 75 years of Independence, we are launching this “Sangathan Se Samriddhi” campaign to mobilize an additional 1 crore women to the 9 crore women already part of the SHG movement.”

He said: “Let us not stop at 10 crores. Let us go beyond and ensure that all rural women across the country join the SHG movement. I urge all our SHG members to reach out to left out women in their respective villages and inspire them to join existing SHGs or form their own SHGs.”

The Minister said “The rural population accounts for 65 per cent of India’s total population. Hence, it is extremely important that women from these areas are accorded all possible opportunities to enable them to contribute significantly into making our country a 5 trillion economy. When 10 crore SHG members all become Lakhpati Didis, it will automatically have a considerable effect on the country’s GDP.”

He said “And this was the vision with which DAY-NRLM was started so that at least one woman member from every rural household can join a Self Help Group and take advantage of the opportunities and financial support offered under the programme to improve their livelihoods.”

The campaign will include General Body Meetings of Village Organizations and experience-sharing by SHG champions to motivate the left-out households to join the SHGs, conducting Community Resource Person drives, mobilizing eligible women from PMAY-G beneficiary households, training new SHG members, reviving defunct SHGs, opening SHG bank accounts and creation of a common database of SHGs promoted by other stakeholders.

Rural Development Secretary Shailesh Kumar Singh; Additional Secretary, Rural Livelihoods Charanjit Singh; and Joint Secretary, Rural Livelihoods  Smriti Sharan were present.

CEOs, Mission Directors and senior mission staff from State Rural Livelihoods Missions were among notable guests.

The SHG members from Bihar, Tripura, Telangana, Maharashtra and Haryana shared their experiences on how the DAY-NRLM SHG movement supported them to come out of poverty by creating livelihood opportunities, leading to their economic independence and social empowerment.