Srinagar, July 15: Secretary, Rural Development Department (RDD) and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, on Wednesday directed all stakeholder departments to adopt a mission-mode approach for implementing the Lakhpati Didi Initiative, aimed at transforming women Self-Help Group (SHG) members into sustainable entrepreneurs through convergence, skill development and financial inclusion.

Chairing the Union Territory Level Steering Committee meeting under the Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM-UMEED), Asad said the government is accelerating efforts to help rural women establish viable micro-enterprises and achieve annual household incomes of over ₹1 lakh.
He informed the meeting that 2.40 lakh women in Jammu and Kashmir have already attained Lakhpati Didi status, while the Union Territory aims to reach 3.64 lakh beneficiaries by 2029, requiring focused support for an additional 1.24 lakh women.
Emphasising convergence, the Secretary directed all line departments to align their flagship schemes with JKRLM and prioritise eligible SHG households. He called for household-level enterprise plans, timely institutional credit, skill enhancement, continuous handholding and stronger market linkages.
Departments were asked to prepare sector-wise convergence plans covering agriculture, horticulture, dairy, livestock, poultry, fisheries and other allied activities to ensure coordinated implementation at the grassroots level.
Highlighting the importance of quality skill development, Asad stressed partnerships with reputed national institutions and exposure visits to successful livelihood models in other states. He also urged collaboration with private apparel brands and manufacturers to create outsourcing opportunities for women-led enterprises.
He directed Agriculture and Horticulture departments to provide practical training in scientific farming, apple cultivation, vegetable production and protected cultivation, while expanding livelihood opportunities in handicrafts, handloom, food processing, digital services and other emerging sectors.
The meeting was informed that the Digital Aajeevika Register (DAR) and Enterprise Planning Digital Tool (EPDT) are being used for beneficiary identification, enterprise planning and progress monitoring.
On financial inclusion, officials said institutional credit worth ₹1,200 crore has been targeted under the SHG Bank Linkage Programme. Besides, 4,200 women will receive micro-loans worth ₹42 crore this financial year under the Lal Ded Stree Shakti Scheme in collaboration with J&K Bank.
The meeting also reviewed banking outreach through 372 Bank Mitras and 710 Banking Correspondents, besides ongoing financial literacy and social security enrolment drives in rural areas.
Concluding the meeting, Asad described the Lakhpati Didi Initiative as a transformative programme for women's economic empowerment and directed all departments to work in close coordination with JKRLM to achieve the Union Territory's targets through measurable outcomes and sustained field-level support.