Dehradun. The High Power and Guidance Committee of the Rural Expeditions Project (REAP) met under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan. Secretary D.S. Gabrial presented the progress report for the year 2025-26 and the proposed annual action plan and budget for the financial year 2026-27.
The committee approved the annual action plan and budget worth ₹677.75 crore for the financial year 2026-27. Under the scheme, programs promoting self-employment, livelihood promotion, income generation, local resource development, agriculture, and allied activities were approved.
Target to Create 2.5 Lakh ‘Lakhpati Didi’
The Chief Secretary set an ambitious target of creating 2.5 lakh women ‘Lakhpati Didi’ for the year 2026-27. He directed that women benefiting from REAP be linked to other departmental and central/state schemes and that a consolidated report of all schemes be prepared.
He emphasized the need to ensure effective convergence between various schemes for the economic and social empowerment of beneficiaries.
Women Self-Help Groups to Receive Special Incentives
Instructions were given to identify similar women self-help groups and develop a strategy to provide them with better support in the areas of livelihood and self-employment.
In view of the International Year of Women Farmers in 2026, a detailed action plan was directed to provide financial, technical, capital, and institutional support to women under the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme.
Unutilized Growth Centers to Be Activated
The Chief Secretary directed the identification of growth centers in rural areas that are not being properly utilized. He said that a concrete plan should be made to effectively utilize these centers through the ‘House of Himalayas’.
It is noteworthy that the Rural Enterprise Acceleration Project (Gramothan) is being implemented in all the districts of the state with the aim of strengthening the livelihood of rural families and preventing migration. Under this, financial assistance and training is provided to small enterprises like agriculture, non-agriculture and food processing.
Additional Secretary Girdhari Singh Rawat, Navneet Pandey, Jharna Kamthan and other concerned officials were present in the meeting.
