Under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM) is empowering rural women to move from self-employment to entrepreneurship through the ‘Micro-Enterprise Sakhi’ initiative. The programme is giving a new dimension to rural economic empowerment by transforming job seekers into job creators.
Training 13,000 Women Across Uttar Pradesh
So far, 13,064 women are being trained as Micro-Enterprise Sakhis across the state. Each Sakhi will support 50 other women in setting up self-employment ventures, with a target of creating over 6.5 lakh new enterprises.
More than 11,000 Sakhis have already been selected, and the remaining candidates will undergo an examination on November 4, 2025. The training modules cover business planning, enterprise management, marketing, government schemes, financial literacy, and practical fieldwork.
Digital Empowerment and Technical Support
A dedicated mobile app is being developed by UPSRLM under the direction of Mission Director Deepa Ranjan to enable digital operations such as surveys, enterprise tracking, and progress reporting, ensuring transparency and efficiency.
Development Alternatives is providing technical support in training, capacity building, and market linkages. Each cluster-level federation will have four Micro-Enterprise Sakhis, who will help women secure bank loans with the assistance of Bank Sakhis to set up small, resource-based enterprises.
Creating Local Role Models and Sustainable Livelihoods
These women will act as local role models, fostering self-reliance and improving household incomes in rural communities. The initiative also supports the Prime Minister’s vision of creating ‘Lakhpati Women’ by building a sustainable ecosystem for rural entrepreneurship.
Driving Women-Led Development and Atmanirbhar Bharat
The Micro-Enterprise Sakhi programme is not only strengthening rural women economically but also revitalising the village economy. It represents a major stride toward women-led development, employment generation, and the national goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
