In a significant step towards realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and fast-tracking the Lakhpati Didi mission, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the aegis of Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. The MoU marks a strategic convergence to empower the women of Self-Help Groups through structured skilling, entrepreneurship development, and market-aligned livelihood interventions.

The MoU signing ceremony was graced by Minister for Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with Minister of State for Rural Development, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Jayant Chaudhary. Secretary, MoRD, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh and Secretary, MSDE, Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari along with other senior officials from both the Ministries were also present during the ceremony.

Addressing the ceremony, Shri Chouhan said that this collaboration reinforces our commitment to transform rural women into confident entrepreneurs and together we are taking a step forward in truly realizing the vision of three crore Lakhpati Didis across rural India.

He also congratulated both ministries on formalizing this MoU to empower women at the last mile. This initiative, he added, will help build a rural India where women are at the center of economic transformation.

The minister said, “The rural economy is changing, and women are driving this change—be it in agriculture, services, or enterprises. Today, under DAY-NRLM, we have 10 crore women who are part of 91 lakh Self Help Groups. The social capital formed through this programme is unmatched. In every sphere of development, these women are the torchbearers and leaders.”

The Minister stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set a vision to enable 3 crore Lakhpati Didis, and affirmed the government's commitment to this goal. He added that efforts were also underway to create “Millionaire Didis” as the next milestone.

MoS (Rural Development) Dr. Pemmasani stated that this collaboration is an important step in realising our vision for an inclusive Viksit Bharat.

Setting the context, Shri Jayant Chaudhary emphasized the convergence approach, stating, together we are aligning the skill development infrastructure with rural aspirations to ensure every woman has the opportunity to grow, earn, and lead.

The MoU will remain in effect for three years, with a Joint Review Committee constituted for quarterly monitoring of progress and outcomes. By bridging institutional expertise with community-level mobilization, this MoU marks a bold step toward unlocking the economic potential of rural women and creating sustainable rural enterprises.

The partnership aims to bring together the grassroots mobilization and livelihood promotion expertise of MoRD with the skilling ecosystem and institutional capabilities of MSDE, aiming to strengthen rural livelihoods through tailored, market-oriented training and entrepreneurship support.

Highlights of the MoU:

The new website of the Ministry and the revamped website of the Department of Rural Development, developed under the Digital Brand Identity Manual (DBIM) was also launched during the ceremony by the Ministers. The newly launched portals aim to provide citizens with a unified, accessible, and user-friendly digital interface for rural development services and information.

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PSF/KSR/AR/AK

Read this release in: Hindi

Convergence Press Release