The National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is a rural poverty alleviation project. This scheme focuses on promoting self-employment and organizing the rural poor. The primary objective of this program is to organize the poor into self-help groups (SHGs) and empower them for self-employment. Under the Rural Livelihoods Mission, Mrs. Madhu Kanwar, a resident of Sarangpuri Panchayat in Dhamtari district, has become an example of self-reliance and is known in the area as “Lakhpati Didi.”
Madhu Kanwar, who once worked as a laborer in other people’s fields due to financial constraints, has transformed her life through her struggle, hard work, and the support of government programs. Despite limited resources and difficult circumstances, she refused to give up and resolved to become self-reliant.
- Digital services are available in the village itself
Today, Madhu Kanwar operates a Common Service Center (CSC) in her village. Through this center, villagers can access a variety of e-governance services at discounted rates, including income, caste, and residence certificates, marriage registration, Aadhaar card updates, labor card registration, Ayushman cards, and electricity bill payments.
This initiative eliminates the need for villagers to travel to the city for minor government services. Madhu earns a regular income of approximately 10,000 to 12,000 rupees per month through this work, which has strengthened her family financially.
- A new path was found through the livelihood mission.
Madhu Kanwar explains that at one point, the family’s financial situation was so weak that it became difficult to even afford the children’s education and household expenses. During this time, she made a fresh start by joining the “Jai Maa Karma Women’s Self-Help Group” under the National Rural Livelihood Mission.
After joining the group, he began buying and selling rice, growing mushrooms, and engaging in small-scale self-employment activities. With a loan from the group, he established a Common Service Center in his home, which gradually became a strong source of income.
- Self-employment is increasing for women
The women in Madhu Kanwar’s group are now engaged in several income-generating activities. These include candle making, cake baking, mushroom production, fish farming, and working as bank friends. These activities are increasing the women’s income and empowering them economically. She explained that the positive impact of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai’s good governance and public welfare schemes in Chhattisgarh is now clearly visible in rural areas.
- Became an inspiration for the women of the village
Today, Madhu Kanwar has become an inspiration not only to her family but also to women throughout the region. Thanks to her efforts, other women in the village are also joining self-help groups and pursuing self-employment.
Thanks to state government schemes and good governance initiatives, rural women like Madhu Kanwar are becoming self-reliant and playing an active role in their village’s development. Their success sends the message that with opportunity, guidance, and determination, rural women can also write new success stories.