Dehradun: Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has directed all District Magistrates in the state to conduct a comprehensive review of Growth Centres and prepare concrete plans to enhance their capacity. The instructions were issued during a review meeting of the REAP (Rural Enterprise Acceleration Project – Gramotthan) and the Lakhpati Didi Scheme programme at the Secretariat.
He stressed the need to further strengthen rural entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment. District administrations have been asked to assess the number, operational status, and annual turnover of Growth Centres and prepare practical expansion plans wherever improvement opportunities exist.
Reviewing the Lakhpati Didi initiative, the Chief Secretary emphasized efforts to ensure that women who have already become “Lakhpati Didis” maintain stable and sustainable incomes. He also called for effective measures to increase the earnings of low-income women by connecting them with livelihood opportunities.
Officials were instructed to link women associated with self-help groups to banking services, credit facilities, and government welfare schemes, thereby enhancing their financial independence. Greater convergence among departmental schemes was also emphasized to maximize benefits for women.
The Chief Secretary further directed districts where Rural Self Employment Training Institute (R-SETI) buildings are proposed to accelerate construction work and complete projects within stipulated timelines. He noted that strong skill development and training infrastructure is crucial for promoting rural entrepreneurship.
At the conclusion of the meeting, departments were instructed to adopt an integrated approach, improve interdepartmental coordination, and regularly review implementation progress to ensure desired outcomes under both REAP and the Lakhpati Didi scheme.
