Mumbai, Sep 3 (PTI) With a target of creating one crore 'Lakhpati Didis' in Maharashtra, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said loans will not be limited to Self Help Groups (SHGs), but will also be given to women who want to expand their livelihoods.

The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development was speaking after his review meeting with banks and state rural livelihood missions.

"Women empowerment is a primary requirement for building a developed India. Today's meeting wasn't just a ritual, it was a serious effort to move forward in that direction. Therefore, loans would not only be provided to Self-Help Groups (SHGs), but also individual women members will be given access to credit so that they can create new opportunities and expand their livelihoods," Chouhan said.

As part of the prime minister's vision, loans of Rs 10 lakh crore will be allocated to self-help groups and Rs 1 lakh crore to individual women in five years, said Chouhan, who also interacted with women from various SHGs and listened to their concerns and grievances regarding banking procedures and credit accessibility.

The government has drawn up a five-year roadmap to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making six crore women 'Lakhpati Didis', of which around 3.5 crore have already become 'Lakhpati Didis', he said.

The government has set a target of creating one crore 'Lakhpati Didis' for Maharashtra, Chouhan added.

Women often face difficulties in completing loan formalities, particularly in remote and hilly areas where bank branches are located far away, and all formalities cannot be completed in one visit, Chouhan pointed out.

"We should focus on training and sensitising them at that level. First, there should be regular SRLM (State Rural Livelihoods Missions) meetings, and banks should seriously participate in them," he said.

Chouhan further assured that every obstacle will be removed through helplines, process improvements, and continuous coordination with bankers to ensure that 'didis' do not face any difficulties in obtaining bank loans.

"It has now been decided that loan formalities should be standardised across banks. The RBI and NABARD will work towards deciding a uniform process so that women do not have to make multiple visits or undergo different procedures at different banks," the minister said.

The government had set targets for banks, Chouhan said.

For 2025-26 they were not only achieved but several banks exceeded their targets by up to 1.5 times, he said.

"What we have achieved is really something to be proud of. Almost every bank has achieved one and a half times its target this year, some have even doubled it. Hearty congratulations for that but going forward we will have to remain engaged with full passion again," he stated. PTI SM BNM