Budget 2024: What is Lakhpati Didi that Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned in her Interim Budget speech?

After people heard it for the first time during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2023, they heard an important announcement regarding Lakhpati Didis from Nirmala Sitharman during her Interim Budget 2024 speech on Thursday (February 1, 2024). In this write-up, know what is a Lakhpati Didi and why the government is giving so much importance to them.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered her sixth budget as a Finance Minister on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Photo: PTI

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Interim Budget 2024 speech was one of the shortest speeches by a finance minister of India, but in this short speech, she made some important points which may go a long way in the empowerment of poor, youth, and women.

One such announcement was to increase the number of Lakhpati Didis from the central government's previous target of 2 crore to 3 crore.

People heard about Lakhpati Didis for the first time during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech from the ramaprts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2023.

On Thursday, the finance minister made the second-biggest announcement about Lakhpati Didis.

In this write-up, know what is a Lakhpati Didi and why do the government want to empower them?

What is Lakhpati Didi Scheme?

Lakhpati Didi Yojana is a central government scheme to financially empower women.

When he launched the scheme, PM Modi said that under the scheme, various types of skill training will be provided to women self-help groups by the government.

Apart from that, the government will also provide financial help to such women, which will help them become lakhpati, he emphasised.

Women whose annual income per family is at least Rs 1 lakh can take benefit of this woman-centric scheme.

In the scheme, women self-help groups will be made self-reliant by teaching them technical skills like making LED bulbs, plumbing, drone repairing, etc.

The scheme can be availed by joining a self-help group. Women seeking Information about this scheme can contact their nearest Anganwadi centre.

On Thursday, Sitharaman presented her record sixth budget.

This was the last budget of the second term of the Modi government.

In a Lok Sabha year, the finance minister presents an interim budget. Once the new government is elected, it will present a full budget.