ON THE ROAD TO BEING A LAKHPATI

Life in the rural hinterlands of India is tough, but several self-help groups are trying to make a difference to how rural women earn their livelihoods. The government's Lakhpati Didi scheme, which found a mention in the Interim Budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month, is another ray of hope for women to start something of their own. Outlook Money spoke to women across five states-Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh-to understand how they are striving to bring about a change in their lives

- Sanjeeb Baruah

Being Resilient To Build A Future

Abeda Khatun, 35, is one of the two women selected for the Lakhpati Didi scheme from Madhya Betbari Gram Panchayat (GP) in Assam's Barpeta district last year. This central government-backed rural livelihood scheme, implemented in different states, will allow Abeda, who is from Kamalpur village, to expand her fishery business, which has supported her family over the years.

Abeda, a mother of two, runs an integrated fishery, cattle and poultry farm with her husband Waris Ali, 46. She had applied for ₹10 lakh through the block project manager under the Lakhpati Didi scheme. Although a final disbursement amount is still being considered, she expects it will be known to her in the coming weeks.

She plans to invest a big sum in her fisheries, which is proving to be more lucrative than her poultry and cattle ventures. Before her success in the fish venture, poultry and cattle were the mainstay of her farm.

Abeda has come a long way in her journey towards financial independence. It started in 2008, shortly after marriage, when she joined a 15-member self-help group, Rhino SHG, in Kamalpur under Madhya Betbari GP, some 110 km from state capital Guwahati. During this period, a "Jeevika Sakhi" (Momtaz Begum), a livelihood friend assigned to each gram panchayat under the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM) to promote livelihood schemes, was constantly in touch with her. With her help, Abeda received ₹15,000 from the SHG's revolving fund as a grant for new members. She raised chickens and ducks in her backyard with that money. As years passed, she started making profits, and her business grew, which helped meet her household expenses.