Vice President CP Radhakrishnan today praised the Lakhpati Didi initiative as a powerful example of women’s resilience and leadership, calling it a “reflection of India’s growing women-led development movement.”

The Vice President was addressing a large gathering at the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. He described the programme as an embodiment of the strength and determination of India’s women. “Lakhpati Didi is not merely a term about income,” he said, “it represents independence, dignity, and confidence.”

He noted that thousands of women across India, through self-help groups (SHGs), are demonstrating how discipline, solidarity, and enterprise can transform lives. “These women are the backbone of rural India, showing the world that progress begins at the grassroots,” he remarked.

Commending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of creating three crore Lakhpati Didis, the Vice-President said the initiative has become “a vibrant force of empowerment” and lauded Chhattisgarh’s success in enabling over five lakh women to achieve financial independence through self-help groups and micro-enterprise activities.

Highlighting Rajnandgaon’s role as a model of women’s empowerment, Radhakrishnan said more than 1,000 women now hold elected positions as Panch, Sarpanch, Janpad, and Zila Panchayat members. “Democracy does not live only in Parliament, it breathes in our gram sabhas and self-help groups, where citizens discuss, decide, and develop together,” he said.

The Vice President credited the Chhattisgarh Government and Rajnandgaon district administration for connecting over one lakh women through nearly 10,000 SHGs and facilitating financial assistance worth Rs700 crore. He also praised the state’s transfer of Rs13,000 crore under the Mahila Samman Yojana, calling it “a decisive step towards gender equity and economic inclusion.”

Encouraging women to dream bigger, Radhakrishnan said, “You are not just Lakhpati Didis, you are the architects of a new India. I hope one day we will celebrate our Crorepati Didis.”

Recalling Chhattisgarh’s remarkable progress, he said the state that once struggled with lack of basic infrastructure now “powers the nation with electricity and leads in healthcare expansion.” He attributed the state’s transformation and the steady decline in Naxal violence to the “combined will of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, the state government, and security forces.”

He also underlined that creating wealth is as important as distributing it. “Both Central and state governments are pursuing these goals effectively,” he said, adding that “inclusive growth has reduced challenges like Naxalism and strengthened national unity.”

Drawing inspiration from the Indian women’s cricket team’s World Cup victory, the Vice-President said their triumph mirrors the social transformation driven by women across India.

Radhakrishnan also reflected on the creation of Chhattisgarh in 2000, recalling his days as a Member of Parliament when he supported former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s vision for the new state. “Chhattisgarh stands today as a shining example of how regional aspirations, when nurtured, can fuel national progress,” he said.

The Vice President inaugurated a new five-storey facility at Udayachal Health and Research Institute in Rajnandgaon, commending its contribution towards making Chhattisgarh cataract-free and its efforts in tuberculosis control and afforestation drives.

He also praised the National Netra Jyoti Abhiyan and Ayushman Bharat initiatives, calling them “revolutionary steps that have expanded healthcare access across India.”

The event was attended by Governor Ramen Deka, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, and Speaker Dr Raman Singh. Earlier in the day, the Vice President witnessed the spectacular Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) air show in Nava Raipur, part of the ongoing Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav celebrations marking the state’s Silver Jubilee.