Agartala

Manik Saha on Monday said women-led self-help groups are emerging as a major force behind the economic transformation of Tripura, significantly contributing to the state’s Gross State Domestic Product and helping create more than one lakh “lakhpati didis” across rural areas.

Addressing a programme organised by the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission at Rabindra Bhavan in Agartala, Saha said nearly 4.95 lakh rural women are currently associated with 55,569 self-help groups and are steadily moving towards economic independence.

Highlighting the success of the government’s empowerment initiatives, the chief minister said both Samriddhi 1.0 and Samriddhi 2.0 schemes have delivered results beyond initial expectations. Under Samriddhi 1.0, the government had initially targeted loan disbursal of Rs 100 crore, but the amount eventually rose to Rs 188 crore. Similarly, under Samriddhi 2.0, the target of Rs 150 crore was surpassed, reaching Rs 260 crore in loan support for SHGs.

Saha said the government has so far extended loans worth Rs 2,398 crore to self-help groups, helping generate sustainable livelihoods in rural areas. He noted that while banks were initially hesitant to clear loan proposals, confidence has grown significantly due to the strong repayment record of the groups, with the overall non-performing asset level standing at just 1.84 per cent.

The chief minister also praised TRLM for expanding livelihood opportunities beyond traditional farming into non-farm sectors, enabling greater diversification and long-term sustainability of women-led enterprises.

According to Saha, the state has already produced 1,08,281 “lakhpati didis,” whose growing economic participation is making a meaningful contribution to Tripura’s overall economic output.

Emphasising the importance of skill development and entrepreneurship, he said TRLM has also entered into a partnership with IIM Kolkata Incubation Park to support business development and capacity-building for women-led self-help groups.

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Senior officials, including Rural Development Secretary Abhishek Singh and TRLM Chief Executive Officer T. K. Chakma, also outlined various initiatives aimed at strengthening rural women’s economic empowerment in the state.