Ten crore women to become Lakhpati Didis: Shivraj

Guntur: Union minister of rural development, agriculture and farmers’ welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Central government is implementing major initiatives to make 10 crore women ‘Lakhpati Didis’, ensuring each earns at least Rs 1 lakh per annum. He said at present, two to three crore women have achieved this milestone and efforts are underway to expand it further.

Addressing the National Watershed Mahotsav at Vengalayapalem here on Tuesday, he said the programme aims to empower rural women, strengthen the agricultural sector and promote sustainable livelihoods. He inaugurated the event along with Union minister of state for communications and rural development Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar at Vengalayapalem of Guntur rural mandal.

Speaking on this occasion, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that he came as a servant of farmers, regarding their service as divine. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan for their visionary leadership. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, he said every family should have a permanent home, and officials must ensure no one remains in huts.

Union minister of state for rural development Dr Pemmassani Chandrasekhar said villages are the backbone of national development and nearly 25 per cent depend on rainfall. He noted that Andhra Pradesh received 40 per cent of India’s urea supply under Chouhan’s leadership and Rs 180 crore of pending MGNREGA bills were released.

Earlier, Chouhan inaugurated revived 150-year-old Vengalayapalem Lake spread in 21 acre, developed at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore in Guntur Rural mandal. He was accompanied by Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar and Guntur district in-charge minister Kandula Durgesh. They inspected the restored well, the children’s park, the fitness zone and the open-air theatre near the lake.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed that water is the foundation of cultural development. He said the Watershed Programme and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana are being implemented with the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Describing Vengalayapalem Lake as a model project, he stated that efforts would be made to replicate this model across the country and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu for their visionary leadership and commitment to development.

MLAs B RamAnjaneyulu, Galla Madhavi, Naseer Ahmed, BJP state president P V N Madhav were among those who participated.