**Agartala, May 18:** Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Monday said that women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM) are playing a major role in strengthening the rural economy and improving the socio-economic condition of families across the state.
Addressing the felicitation programme of “Samriddhi Campaign 2.0” at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala, the Chief Minister highlighted the growing contribution of women-led SHGs in achieving financial empowerment and social transformation in Tripura. He said the state government has been implementing various welfare and livelihood schemes inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of women-led development and self-reliance.
Dr. Saha informed that nearly 4.95 lakh rural women are currently connected with 55,569 Self-Help Groups across Tripura. According to him, these SHGs have significantly strengthened the financial foundation of rural households while also promoting social awareness and economic independence among women.
The Chief Minister stated that Tripura currently holds the second position in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth among Northeastern states. He credited a large part of this achievement to the contribution of rural women and SHG members who have actively participated in income-generating activities and entrepreneurship initiatives.
During the programme, several “Lakhpati Didis” shared their inspiring success stories and experiences with the audience and the Chief Minister. Their stories reflected how government support and access to financial assistance helped them become financially independent.
Secretary of the Rural Development Department, Abhishek Singh, said that Tripura presently has around 1.08 lakh Lakhpati Didis. He added that the government has set an ambitious target of creating 3.5 lakh Lakhpati Didis within the next three years.
TRLM Chief Executive Officer Tarit Kanti Chakma also spoke about the achievements of the “Samriddhi Abhiyan,” conducted in two phases. He revealed that while the first phase had a loan disbursement target of Rs 100 crore, nearly Rs 188 crore was distributed. Across both phases, total loan disbursement reached around Rs 488 crore.
The Chief Minister also launched the SHG Insurance Linkage Campaign during the event.
