- Dhami launches rural livelihood projects
- Women-led entrepreneurship highlighted
- Rising Tehri e-coaching class inaugurated
- Uttarakhand promotes self-reliant villages
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami highlighted the state’s growing push toward women-led entrepreneurship and rural empowerment as he inaugurated several key initiatives during the Saras Aajeevika Mela in Rishikesh. The event showcased the state’s vision for self-reliant villages, women’s economic participation, and support for local enterprises.
Empowering Rural Livelihoods
At the fair, the Chief Minister launched 12 economic activities worth ₹1.20 crore under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) for Cluster-Level Federations (CLFs) and laid the foundation for 10 more projects worth ₹1 crore. According to media reports, these initiatives aim to strengthen local entrepreneurship and promote economic resilience in Uttarakhand’s villages.
Dhami also inaugurated Rising Tehri – Physics Wala Online Coaching Class, a digital learning program that will allow rural students to prepare for JEE and NEET exams from their own homes. He praised the Rural Development Department and district administration for their contributions under the Gramothan Project, which integrates skill development and rural enterprise promotion.
Celebrating Local Culture and Enterprise
The Chief Minister emphasized that the fair provided a vibrant platform to showcase Uttarakhand’s cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and self-help ventures. He noted that such events reflect Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local vision. As per several media sources, stalls set up by women’s self-help groups promoted indigenous products under the theme “Swadeshi Apnao”—encouraging people to support locally made goods.
Women-Led Transformation
Dhami reiterated his government’s commitment to women’s financial independence, highlighting flagship programs including Lakhpati Didi Yojana, Mukhyamantri Sashakt Bahna Utsav Yojana, and Mukhyamantri Mahila Self-Help Group Empowerment Scheme. So far, more than 1.65 lakh women in Uttarakhand have become “Lakhpati Didis,” achieving annual incomes above one lakh rupees.
Under Bahna Utsav Yojana, women entrepreneurs set up nearly 2,000 stalls, generating about ₹5.5 crore in sales—an inspiring achievement in local enterprise. The government’s House of Himalayas brand has also taken women-made products global, expanding market reach and recognition for local artisans.
Sustainable Growth and Farm Empowerment
Currently, over 68,000 self-help groups with more than five lakh members operate across the state, supported by 7,500 village organizations and 534 cluster-level groups. Through the Farm Livelihood and Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Yojana, around three lakh women farmers have received skill and capacity development assistance. Additionally, 2.5 lakh kitchen gardens and 500 farm machinery banks have been established to strengthen grassroots farming.
The government is also helping over 5,000 women farmers adopt organic cultivation techniques. With these initiatives, Uttarakhand’s rural women are transforming into key economic drivers, fueling sustainable growth and community development.
The Saras Aajeevika Mela stood as a reflection of how collective effort and innovation can turn self-reliance into a movement, setting an example for inclusive, sustainable rural progress nationwide.
These efforts signal a growing wave of digital, economic, and agricultural empowerment in rural Uttarakhand, likely to inspire wider adoption of self-help enterprise models across India.
