New Delhi: In a significant move towards rural empowerment, the Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) today signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to collaborate on formalizing and strengthening Self Help Group (SHG) women-led rural enterprises through MoMSME’s flagship schemes. The signing ceremony took place at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
The SoI was signed by Swati Sharma, Joint Secretary of MoRD, and Mercy Epao, Joint Secretary of MoMSME, in the presence of Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of MoRD, S C L Das, Secretary of MoMSME, and Charanjit Singh, Additional Secretary of MoRD, along with senior officials from both ministries.
Speaking on the occasion, Swati Sharma highlighted that the signing of this SoI underscores a whole-of-government approach, emphasizing the collaborative spirit between the ministries. She noted that this partnership will play a crucial role in empowering “Lakhpati Didis,” a vision championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mercy Epao affirmed that the SoI will strengthen the partnership between MoMSME and MoRD, aiming to support and elevate SHG Didis in entrepreneurship. She mentioned that leveraging MoMSME’s flagship initiatives such as Yeshaswini- Apna Udyam, Apni Pehchaan, Udyam Assist, and others, will provide a substantial boost to SHG women-led rural enterprises.