Tribal women in Gujarat's South Dang earn ₹35 Lakh through Lakhpati Didi Yojana
The South Dang Forest Division has taken the lead in local implementation, partnering with Self Help Groups (SHGs) to engage tribal women in nursery development and afforestation work, they said. The women are trained to raise saplings, handle plantation work, and carry out activities such as seed sowing, watering, pruning, and fertiliser application. The programme ensures payments are transferred directly to the women's bank accounts, making the financial process transparent and immediate.
Alongside technical training in nursery practices, the scheme includes education in financial literacy. The forest department has conducted awareness camps to teach women how to manage bank accounts, maintain basic accounts, and plan household budgets. This training has equipped participants with tools to manage their earnings independently, officials said.
The 8.5 lakh saplings raised are being used for afforestation across forest ranges in the region. Forest officials say this is contributing to long-term environmental restoration, enhancing forest cover and local biodiversity. 'The approach of linking livelihood creation with ecological activities has created dual benefits: economic support for tribal women and sustainable environmental impact.'
The forest department reports that the income received by the 40 women has added stability to their households and supported children's education and family needs. Encouraged by the results in South Dang, officials are assessing the feasibility of replicating this model in other tribal districts.
The Lakhpati Didi Yojana continues to be positioned as a rural self-employment scheme with scalable impact, both economically and environmentally.
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