Center's DAY-NRLM Scheme Doles Out Over 11 Lakh Crore Rupees in Loans to Women Self-Help Groups, as per Shivraj Singh Chouhan
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), launched by the Ministry of Rural Development, continues to operate as a highly successful rural poverty alleviation and women's empowerment initiative in India. As of mid-2025, it has disbursed over Rs 11 lakh crore in collateral-free loans to more than 10 crore women organized in approximately 90 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across the country.
The program’s core impact centers on women's financial independence and entrepreneurship, with the SHGs providing crucial access to credit without collateral, along with interest subsidies and other financial support mechanisms. This enables rural women to start or expand income-generating activities and micro-enterprises, promoting sustainable livelihoods and contributing to rural economic development.
Key factors contributing to DAY-NRLM's success include a community-based institutional structure, the role of 'Bank Sakhis', simplified banking processes, and financial inclusion beyond credit. The community-based institutional structure fosters collective empowerment and social inclusion, with women organized into SHGs, Village Organizations, and Cluster Level Federations. 'Bank Sakhis', trained women from within SHGs, act as grassroots banking agents, facilitating loan applications, transactions, and financial literacy, thus bridging rural women with formal financial institutions.
Integration with Aadhaar and mobile banking has enhanced transparency and ease of access, while priority sector lending has streamlined credit availability. The scheme promotes linkages with savings, insurance, pension products, and skill development, strengthening women's socio-economic security.
Empowered women are driving transformational change not only within their households but across entire communities. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the achievement as a powerful reflection of what can be accomplished when women are given trust, opportunities, and the right support systems.
The DAY-NRLM stands as a model of financial discipline and effective grassroots implementation, with a loan repayment rate exceeding 98%. It is one of the world's largest poverty alleviation and financial inclusion initiatives, with women at its core. The Community-Based Repayment Mechanism (CBRM) is being strengthened to ensure timely loan recovery and sustain the programme's success.
In a recent development, the 20th instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme will be released on August 2, benefiting over 9.7 crore farmers. Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted the success of DAY-NRLM and how rural women are transforming their lives through SHGs.
[1] Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) official website: www.nrlm.gov.in
[2] Press Information Bureau, Government of India: pib.gov.in
[3] Reserve Bank of India: rbi.org.in
[4] National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD): nabard.org
[5] World Bank: worldbank.org
- The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) not only prioritizes women's financial independence and entrepreneurship, but also promotes health and wellness in the workplace by fostering sustainable livelihoods and economic development.
- By providing rural women with access to collateral-free loans and financial support, DAY-NRLM encourages them to invest in income-generating activities and micro-enterprises that not only improve their own health and wellness, but also contribute to the overall health and wellness of their communities.
- As the DAY-NRLM creates opportunities for rural women to successfully manage their finances and eventually increase their income, it also posites them to make smart decisions about their personal and family health, thus improving women's health and contributing to the financial stability of their households.
