In a significant move towards achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and accelerating the Lakhpati Didi mission, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. The MoU represents a strategic convergence to empower women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) through structured skilling, entrepreneurship development, and market-aligned livelihood initiatives.The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister for Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Minister of State for Rural Development, Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani; and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary. Secretaries from both ministries—Shailesh Kumar Singh (MoRD) and Atul Kumar Tiwari (MSDE)—along with other senior officials were also present.During the event, Chouhan highlighted that the collaboration reinforces the government's commitment to transforming rural women into confident entrepreneurs and is a step forward in realising the vision of enabling thirty million Lakhpati Didis across rural India. He congratulated both ministries for formalising the MoU, noting that the initiative would help build a rural economy where women play a central role in economic transformation.Chouhan observed that the rural economy is undergoing change, with women at the forefront of this transformation—whether in agriculture, services, or enterprises. He pointed out that under DAY-NRLM, 100 million women are currently part of 91 lakh Self-Help Groups, forming a social capital that is unmatched. He stressed that these women are emerging as torchbearers and leaders in various spheres of development. Referring to the vision set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he reiterated the government’s commitment to enabling thirty million Lakhpati Didis and mentioned that efforts are also being made towards creating Millionaire Didis as the next goal.Dr Pemmasani underlined that the collaboration represents an important step in advancing the vision of an inclusive Viksit Bharat. Jayant Chaudhary stressed the importance of convergence between the skilling infrastructure and rural aspirations, stating that the partnership seeks to ensure every woman has the opportunity to grow, earn, and lead.The MoU will be in effect for three years, with a Joint Review Committee established to monitor progress and outcomes on a quarterly basis. The partnership aims to integrate institutional expertise with community-level mobilisation to unlock the economic potential of rural women and promote sustainable rural enterprises. By combining MoRD’s grassroots mobilisation and livelihood promotion capabilities with MSDE’s skilling ecosystem and institutional strengths, the initiative seeks to strengthen rural livelihoods through market-oriented training and entrepreneurship support.News source: PIB