"Want to Turn 2 Crore Women Into Lakhpati": PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he wishes to turn 2 crore females associated with self-help groups (SHGs) into 'lakhpati' women in the country.

During an engaging virtual interaction with beneficiaries of various government programmes in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh as part of the ongoing 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra', PM Modi sought the help of a woman in his endeavour.

"I want to make 2 crore women associated with self-help groups into lakhpati women in the country," the PM Modi said.

PM Modi asked a woman named Rubina Khan whether she would help him in his efforts. When specifically asked how many women from her group she wanted to turn into a lakhpati, she replied, "I wish to make every woman in the country a lakhpati." Everyone present in the group burst into laughter when PM Modi quipped, "It (Rubina's response) is a political reply." PM Modi then asked the women present on the occasion to raise their hands if they wanted to become lakhpati, to which everyone responded in affirmative.

The prime minister said he has a lot of work for them but they have to support him in such initiatives, to which all of them replied in unison that they would work to realise his dreams.

Rubina said she would like to extend good wishes to the PM on behalf of "1.03 lakh women" associated with self-help groups under the Aajeevika mission, a rural livelihoods programme, to which PM Modi expressed surprise and asked her to repeat the number she was mentioning.

She also shared with the prime minister that after getting associated with an SHG, she took a loan of Rs 5,000 from their society and started selling clothes from her house as well as along with her husband on a motorcycle.

When her work expanded, Rubina narrated, she and her husband decided to purchase a second-hand Maruti van, once again surprising PM Modi and prompting him to ask her to repeat the vehicle she had bought.

"You own a Maruti van while I don't even have a bicycle with me," he said, sending the women in the group to another round of laughter.

Rubina said her business has grown and she has taken a shop in Dewas district and is doing well now.

She also informed PM Modi that as a "Cluster Resource Person (CRP)" she and the women in her group are receiving information about various welfare schemes and they are availing benefits of those by forming SHGs in 40 villages of the district.

Referring to the COVID-19 period, Rubina said that after initial resistance, the women in her group decided to make masks, sanitiser and kits to deal with the deadly virus and each of them has earned Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 from that activity, surprising PM Modi once again. 

With such work, she said, they have not only served the nation but also found a way of earning during difficult times.

The prime minister also asked Rubina about her children and whether they are studying or not, to which she said her two daughters have studied till 10th standard and she also has a son. PM Modi advised her to make her daughters study further.

Rubina also informed the PM that she has brought a "Tavera" vehicle for her unemployed son.

The woman informed the prime minister that a team of bank officials visited their villages to inform them about the welfare schemes of the government.

PM Modi also praised Rubina for her self-confidence and said that "this (self-confidence) of women only will turn the country into 'atmanirbhar' (self-dependent)".

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also joined the event from Bhopal virtually. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)