Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the government had raised the target of the Lakhpati Didi initiative to create six crore financially empowered women across the country. He made the announcement while addressing a gathering in Delhi during the inauguration and foundation laying ceremony of multiple development projects worth Rs 33,500 crore on the occasion of International Women’s Day.Highlighting the growing role of women in strengthening the rural economy, the Prime Minister said that the government had been consistently working to empower women through self-help groups (SHGs) by providing access to capital, training and banking facilities.“The success of our sisters has inspired a new resolution to create three crore more Lakhpati Didis, and I am confident that with the blessings of our Nari Shakti, this goal will be achieved,” Modi said.He noted that the initiative had already achieved significant success, with crores of women becoming economically self-reliant through participation in SHGs. According to the Prime Minister, these women are not only strengthening their families financially, but also contributing to local economic growth and rural development.Commemorating International Women’s Day, Modi highlighted that over 10 crore women were currently associated with SHGs, enabling them to access financial resources, skill development, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Through this support system, many women have already crossed the annual income benchmark that qualifies them as “Lakhpati Didis”.PM Modi emphasised that the government’s focus on financial inclusion and capacity-building had helped transform the lives of millions of women across rural India. By expanding the Lakhpati Didi initiative, he said, the government aims to further strengthen women’s economic participation and accelerate inclusive development across the country.