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Once struggling to make ends meet for her family, a woman in Chhattisgarh's tribal-dominated Balrampur district has transformed her life remarkably, becoming 'Lakhpati Didi' by opting for piggery and motivating others to improve their livelihood.
Dilmati, a resident of Laduwa village panchayat, has proved that if women receive the right opportunities, guidance, and financial support, they can transform their own lives as well as pave the way for others. There was a time when making ends meet was difficult for Dilmati due to a limited income. Today, however, through pig farming coupled with agri-based activities, her family earns an annual income ranging from Rs 7 to Rs 8 lakh. Dilmati has firmly established her identity as a 'Lakhpati Didi'. Until a few years ago, Dilmati's family was struggling with severe financial constraints. It was difficult to run the household on the limited income generated from traditional farming. During this challenging phase, she took membership in the Maa Durga Women Self-Help Group (SHG) and began participating in its meetings while maintaining regular savings. In these meetings, Progressive Resource Persons and departmental officers informed the members of the SHG about various self-employment and livelihood options. It was during this time that Dilmati thought of starting a pig farming business. After securing a loan of Rs 1 lakh, she purchased 10 pigs from Jharkhand and started the business. The initial phase was full of challenges, but she did not lose patience or give up on hard work. About a year later, the income stream from the pigs began. Dilmati shares that a female pig gives birth to 9 to 10 piglets at a time, and the sale of each piglet fetches around Rs 5,000. This started generating an income of approximately Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 every six months. Currently, she owns 9 female pigs, bringing in lakhs of rupees annually. Dilmati did not limit this income to just fulfilling domestic needs. She constructed a well-structured shed for pig farming, purchased paddy and maize threshing/crushing machines, and adopted a drip irrigation system to start organic vegetable cultivation. This developed multiple permanent sources of livelihood, continuously strengthening her financial condition. Today, her family is economically self-reliant. Inspired by Dilmati's achievement, around 10 to 15 families in Laduwa panchayat have also adopted pig farming as their source of livelihood. Today, these families are also earning a handsome income from this business. One woman's courage and determination have ignited a new mindset of self-employment across the entire village. According to Dilmati, the lessons she had learned from the meetings of the Maa Durga Women Self-Help Group became the greatest asset of her life. She inspires other women to join self-help groups, turn small savings into their strength, and utilise loans for income-generating activities. She firmly believes that if women are economically empowered, both the family and society will grow stronger. Appreciating the commendable work of Lakhpati Didi Dilmati, Balrampur Collector Chandan Sanjay Tripathi said that an action plan is being drafted in collaboration with the Agriculture Department to set up a 'Goat Cluster' in the future. High-quality breeds of goats will be provided to Lakhpati Didis, which will boost their employment and strengthen their economic status. She further added that efforts will be made to connect more women, following the inspiring example of Lakhpati Didi Dilmati. This initiative will give a major boost to goat farming, thereby improving the economic condition of the beneficiaries. Additionally, it will ensure that the local population gains access to pure and high-quality milk products. (ANI)
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