The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi participated in Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in Jalgaon, Maharashtra today. He handed out certificates and felicitated 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis who recently became Lakhpati during the third term of the present government. The Prime Minister also interacted with Lakhpati Didis from across the country. Shri Modi released a Revolving Fund of Rs 2,500 crore, benefiting about 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHG). He also disbursed bank loans of Rs 5,000 crore which will benefit 25.8 lakh members of 2.35 lakh SHGs. Since the inception of the Lakhpati Didi Yoajna, one crore women have already been made Lakhpati Didis and the government has set a target of three crore Lakhpati Didis.

The Prime Minister began his address by expressing gratitude towards the huge crowd of mothers and sisters who were present on the occasion. Before moving further, the Prime Minister paid condolences to the victims of the bus accident tragedy in Tanahun, Nepal where several people from Jalgaon lost their lives. He informed that the authorities contacted their Nepalese counterparts as soon as the mishap took place and Union Minister Rakshatai Khadse was sent to Nepal. He said that the mortal remains of the deceased have been brought by special Air Force aircraft and those injured are being looked after. He prayed for their speedy recovery and assured all possible assistance from the Central and State Governments. 

Expressing happiness over the attendance of a huge crowd of mothers and sisters at the mega event of Lakhpati Didi Sammelan, Shri Modi said, “Today, funds of more than Rs 6000 Crore were disbursed for lakhs of Women SHGs spanning across India”. He added that this corpus of funds will bolster many women to transform into ‘Lakhpati Didis’.  The PM also extended his best wishes.

Prime Minister Shri Modi underlined that the mothers and sisters of Maharashtra give a glimpse of the glorious culture and traditions of the state. “Traditions of Maharashtra are known not only in India but around the world”, the Prime Minister remarked. He mentioned witnessing the culture of Maharashtra during his recent visit to Poland and said that the people of Maharashtra are highly respected by Polish citizens. He spoke about the Kolhapur Memorial that is dedicated to the spirit of service and hospitality of the people of Kolhapur by the people of Poland. Recalling the era of World War II when thousands of women and children from Poland were given refuge by the royal family of Kolhapur by following the traditions laid down by Shivaji Maharaj, the Prime Minister expressed pride when such tales of valor were narrated to him during his visit to the nation. He exhorted the citizens to follow a similar path and make continuous efforts to raise the state’s name in the world. 

Shri Modi remarked that the culture of Maharashtra is a creation of the brave and courageous women of that land. He added that the entire India has been inspired by ‘Matrushakthi’ of Maharashtra. The Prime Minister said, “Our Jalgaon is a shrine of Varkari tradition. This is the land of the great saint Muktai.” He added that her achievements and penance were an inspiration for today's generation as well.

Shri Modi remarked that even till date, the poems of Bahinabai compel society to think beyond stereotypes. “Be it any corner of Maharashtra, be it any period of history, the contribution of Matrushakti has been unmatched”, the Prime Minister added. Further elaborating on the Matrushakti of Maharashtra, Shri Modi said that while Mata Jijabai gave a direction to Chhatrapati Shivaji’s life, another Marathi woman Savitribai Phule was the force behind the education of daughters and their work, when it was not given importance in the society. 

The Prime Minister noted that women power of India has always contributed to building the future of the society and the nation. “Today when India is striving to become developed, our women power is once again coming forward,” emphasized Shri Modi. Lauding the women of Maharashtra for their efforts, Shri Modi said “I see the impression of Rajmata Jijabai and Savitribai Phule in all of you.” 

Recalling his visit to Maharashtra during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when the Prime Minister had expressed the desire to create 3 crore Lakhpati Didis, Shri Modi informed that 1 crore Lakhpati Didis were made during the last 10 years, while 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis were created in the past two months alone. “1 lakh Lakhpati Didis were made in Maharashtra also”, he said. The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of the state government and underlined that the entire team of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers have come together to empower and strengthen the women in Maharashtra by initiating multiple new schemes and programs.

Underlining that the Lakhpati Didi campaign is not just a way to boost the income of mothers and sisters but a mega campaign to strengthen the family and future generations, the Prime Minister said that it is transforming the rural economy. “Every woman present here knows that her social position in society is elevated when she starts to make a living”, the Prime Minister exclaimed, noting that the purchasing power of a family also goes up with an increase in income. “Fortunes of an entire family are transformed when one sister becomes Lakhpati Didi”, he added.

Noting the contributions of women today in making India the third-largest economy in the world, Prime Minister Modi pointed out the neglect towards the development of women in the past. He mentioned that crores of women in the country did not own any property which caused a major hindrance in availing bank loans to start small businesses. “Therefore”, the Prime Minister said, “I pledged to reduce the burden on women, and the Modi Government took decisions in the interest of women one after the other.” Drawing parallels from the 10 years of the present government with the seven decades of previous governments, the Prime Minister remarked that the present government did more work in the interest of women than any other previous governments of the past. 

The Prime Minister underlined that his government had decided to register the houses for the poor in the name of the woman of the house. Shri Modi emphasized that most of the 4 crore houses built so far have been registered under the name of women. The Prime Minister assured that even in the upcoming 3 crore houses being built, most of them will be registered in the name of women.

Emphasizing the reforms undertaken in the banking sector, Shri Modi said that even in the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, most bank accounts were opened in the name of women. He emphasized that about 70 percent of the beneficiaries of Pradhan Manti Mudra Yojana are mothers and sisters of the nation.

Recalling how he was warned against giving loans to women in the past, Shri Modi said that he had complete trust in the Matrushakti and that they would return the loans honestly without fail. Buoyed by the response of women, he added that his government had increased the loan limit of PM Mudra Yojana to Rs 20 lakh.

Speaking on the Swanidhi scheme launched for street vendors, the Prime Minister underlined that even in Swanidhi, loans were being given without guarantee, whose benefits had reached the women-folk. Shri Modi added that his government had extended benefits without guarantee to many women of the  Vishwakarma families, who are doing handicrafts.

The Prime Minister remarked that the importance of Sakhi Mandalis and women's self-help groups was not recognized earlier, while today they are on the path to becoming a huge power in India’s economy. He highlighted that every village and tribal region is witnessing positive changes brought by women's self-help groups. He informed that ten crore women have joined the campaign in the last ten years and they have been made a part of the banking system for easy facilitation of low-interest loans. He informed that bank loans worth less than Rs 25,000 crore were sanctioned for self-help groups in 2014, while today that number has risen to  Rs  9 lakh crore in the last 10 years. He further added that the direct assistance provided by the government has also been increased by almost 30 times.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the roles of mothers and sisters are being elaborated today. He gave examples of more than 1.25 lakh bank sakhis providing banking services in every village, women becoming drone pilots to assist in modern farming with drones, and training 2 lakh pashu sakhis to help the livestock farmers. The Prime Minister also mentioned initiating the Krishi Sakhi program to give leadership to Narishakti for modern farming and natural farming. He said that the government is going to create lakhs of such Krishi Sakhis in every village of the country in the coming times. The Prime Minister said that these campaigns will employ daughters while also boosting their confidence. “A new thinking will be created in the society regarding the strength of daughters”, Shri Modi added. 

Reflecting on the Union Budget that was passed by the House last month, the Prime Minister informed that Rs 3 lakh crore have been allocated for schemes related to women. He mentioned the decisions taken to create specialized facilities for women working in factories and offices such as working women hostels and creche facilities for children. He underlined that the government is working towards opening all sectors for women which were once restricted for them and gave examples of women officers in all three armed forces including fighter pilots, admission into Sainik schools and academies and increasing number of women in the police force and paramilitary force.  The Prime Minister mentioned that a large number of women are managing businesses ranging from the agriculture and dairy sector in villages to the start-up revolution. He also touched upon Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam to increase the participation of daughters in politics.

The Prime Minister noted that safety of the women is a top priority of the nation along with their empowerment. Shri Modi added, “I understand the pain and anger of my sisters and daughters, irrespective of the states.” Taking a tough stand, the Prime Minister reminded all the state governments and the political parties of the country that atrocities against women are an unpardonable sin and the guilty and his accomplice must not be spared.

The Prime Minister remarked that public institutions, be it a hospital or a school or an office or the police system, should be made accountable and any sort of negligence on their part was unacceptable. Shri Modi said, “Governments may change, but our biggest responsibility as a society and as a government should be to protect the life and dignity of women.”

The Prime Minister underlined that the government is constantly making laws stricter to give the harshest punishment to those who commit atrocities on women. Pointing out that FIRs for complaints were not registered on time earlier and cases became very time-consuming, the Prime Minister said that such obstacles have been removed in the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) where an entire chapter has been made on atrocities against women and children. He informed that victims can register e-FIR if they do not wish to go to the police station and measures are in place to ensure swift action and no tampering with e-FIR at the police station level. He said that it would help in speedy investigation and strict punishment for the culprits. The Prime Minister further informed that the new laws have provisions for death penalty and life imprisonment for sexual crimes against minors. He also stated that BNS clearly defines false promises of marriage and deception to act against cheating in the name of marriage. “I assure you, the central government is with the state governments in every way to stop atrocities against women. We cannot stop until this sinful mentality has been eradicated from Indian society”, the Prime Minister exclaimed. 

The Prime Minister underlined the role of Maharashtra in India’s ascendancy towards the path of development and said that Maharashtra is a shining star of Viksit Bharat. He highlighted that Maharashtra is becoming a center of attraction for investors from all over the world and the state’s future lies in more and more investments and new job opportunities. The Prime Minister also called upon the need for a stable government in the state that can encourage industries and emphasize education, skills and employment of youth. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the mothers and daughters of the state will come together for a stable and prosperous Maharashtra. 

Governor of Maharashtra, Shri C P Radhakrishnan,  Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnvis and Shri Ajit Pawar, and Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan were present on the occasion among others.

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MJPS/SR/TS