The government has officially doubled the target to 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by March 2029. In 2026, the focus has shifted from just “giving loans” to making women “Enterprise Owners” through the newly launched SHE Marts (Self-Help Entrepreneurs Marts).
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📋 Eligibility Criteria (2026 Updated)
To be recognized as a “Lakhpati Didi,” a woman must meet these specific requirements:
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SHG Membership: You must be an active member of a Self-Help Group (SHG) under the DAY-NRLM mission for at least 2 years.
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Income Goal: The aim is to achieve a sustainable annual household income of ₹1,00,000 or more.
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Activity: You must be practicing at least two livelihood activities (e.g., farming + tailoring, or livestock + LED bulb making).
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Age Limit: Generally between 18 and 55 years.
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Jan Dhan Account: Having a functional Jan Dhan bank account is mandatory for credit benefits.
💰 Key Benefits for Members in 2026
The financial and technical support in 2026 has been upgraded to help women scale their small businesses:
1. Financial Support & Loans
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Collateral-Free Loans: SHGs can avail of collateral-free bank loans up to ₹20 Lakh.
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Interest Subvention: Loans up to ₹3 Lakh are provided at a subsidized interest rate of 7%.
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Overdraft Facility: Every SHG woman member with a Jan Dhan account is eligible for an OD limit of ₹5,000.
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Revolving Fund: Financial aid of ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 per SHG to kickstart internal lending.
2. Skill Training (The 2026 “Tech” Push)
The 2026 training modules have moved beyond traditional crafts to high-tech areas:
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Drone Didi: Training in drone piloting and maintenance for agricultural services.
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Solar Tech: Assembly and repair of solar panels and LED bulbs.
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Digital Literacy: Training on using the Digital Aajeevika Register to track business income.
3. Market Access (New: SHE Marts)
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Retail Outlets: The government is setting up SHE Marts at the cluster level. These are community-owned stores where Lakhpati Didis can sell their products directly to the public, bypassing middlemen.
🛠️ How to Apply in 2026
There is no direct individual application portal. The process is community-driven:
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Join an SHG: Visit your local Gram Panchayat or Block Development Office (BDO) to join an existing SHG or form a new one.
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Livelihood Planning: Work with your SHG to create a “Lakhpati Plan”—a business plan showing how you intend to reach the ₹1 Lakh income mark.
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Survey & Identification: Your SHG federation will identify you as a “Potential Lakhpati Didi” and enter your data into the Digital Aajeevika Register.
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Training & Credit: Once identified, you will be sent for state-sponsored training and can then apply for credit through your SHG.
⚠️ Important Note for 2026
Under the Budget 2026 guidelines, the government is moving away from “debt-based” support. The goal now is to turn SHG members into “Enterprise Collectives.” If you are already earning well, look into forming a Producer Group (PG) to get additional infrastructure grants of up to ₹2 Lakh.