By Firstdespatch Desk May 18, 2026
Agartala, May 18 (FD) Women-led self-help groups are playing a decisive role in strengthening the rural economic foundation of Tripura, Chief Minister Manik Saha said while addressing the “Samriddhi Abhiyan 2.0” programme held at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala on Monday.
Highlighting the growing impact of women empowerment initiatives in the state, the Chief Minister said the economic and social transformation witnessed across rural Tripura is the direct result of women becoming financially self-reliant through self-help groups operating under the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM).
Addressing participants at the programme, Dr. Saha said the vision of strengthening the rural economy is being successfully implemented due to the active participation of women associated with self-help groups. Inspired by the leadership and initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government has focused on improving financial independence, entrepreneurship, and social empowerment among women.
According to the Chief Minister, around 4.95 lakh rural women are currently associated with 55,569 self-help groups across the state. He said this expansion has significantly strengthened the economic structure of rural communities while improving the socio-economic condition of women and their families.
Dr. Saha stated that women empowerment has brought visible positive changes to society and described women as the most resilient force in community development. He added that the self-confidence and determination of women are key drivers behind the success of several livelihood and entrepreneurship programmes implemented in the state.
The Chief Minister also underlined the success of “Samriddhi Abhiyan 2.0,” launched after the achievements of the earlier campaign. Under the programme, the government had initially targeted the distribution of Rs 150 crore in loans to self-help groups and individual entrepreneurs. However, the initiative exceeded expectations, with more than Rs 269 crore distributed to self-help groups and over Rs 20.58 crore provided for individual livelihood ventures.
He noted that the number of women self-help groups in Tripura has increased dramatically over the years, from nearly 5,000 earlier to more than 55,000 today. Financial institutions have so far provided bank loans amounting to Rs 2,389 crore to these groups, while the government has extended assistance worth Rs 837 crore through multiple support funds aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods.
Dr. Saha further said that community initiatives such as Bank Sakhis, Bima Sakhis, agriculture and livestock support workers have helped build a strong rural livelihood network across Tripura. The government is also planning to establish more than 13,000 micro-enterprises in different blocks of the state with an allocation of Rs 38 crore.
During the event, several “Lakhpati Didis” from different districts shared their success stories and experiences, inspiring other women to pursue entrepreneurship and financial independence. The Chief Minister also inaugurated multiple rural livelihood-based projects worth Rs 24.37 crore and unveiled a TRLM newsletter.
Awards and certificates were distributed to outstanding Bank Sakhis, banks, blocks, and districts for their contribution to the success of the rural livelihood mission. Senior officials, including Rural Development Department Secretary Abhishek Singh and TRLM Chief Executive Officer Tarit Kanti Chakma, were present at the programme along with representatives from various districts. FD SB