High-Level Meeting on SHG-Bank Linkages and Enterprise Financing
The Ministry of Rural Development is organizing a high-level meeting on September 3, 2026, in Mumbai to discuss SHG-bank linkages and individual enterprise financing. The meeting will be chaired by Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development) and attended by Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani (Union Minister of State of Rural Development and Communications), Shri Kamlesh Paswan (Hon'ble Minister of State of Rural Development), and the Hon'ble Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Government of Maharashtra.
The meeting brings together senior representatives from key financial institutions including Reserve Bank of India, Department of Financial Services, Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks, Cooperative Banks, NABARD, PFRDA, Central Ministries, State Rural Livelihoods Missions, and other stakeholder institutions. Ahead of the review, the Union Minister will interact with Self Help Group Didis, including several Lakhpati Didis running established rural enterprises.
Background and Achievements of DAY-NRLM
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has mobilized over 10 crore rural women into more than 93 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations over the past 15 years. The banking sector has been a crucial partner, providing cumulative credit disbursement of over Rs. 13.67 lakh crore to SHGs, backed by consistently high repayment discipline. This strong institutional credit flow has enabled 3.46 crore women to emerge as Lakhpati Didis by establishing and expanding livelihood enterprises.
Meeting Objectives and Strategic Priorities
The discussions will focus on doubling the individual enterprise credit portfolio, enhancing the average quantum of disbursement to SHGs, reducing turnaround time in loan sanction and disbursement, and developing strategies for saturating credit linkage of remaining SHGs including those in difficult regions. The meeting will also address strengthening the role of the cooperative credit structure at the District Central Cooperative Bank (DCCB) and Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) level.
Managing Directors and Executive Directors of Public and Private Sector Banks, Chairmen of Regional Rural Banks and Apex Cooperative Banks, and Chief Executive Officers of State Rural Livelihoods Missions will share their reflections on progress achieved and the way forward. The deliberations will inform the future plan of action for implementing the Financial Inclusion 2.0 vision, aimed at ensuring timely and adequate credit for SHGs, dedicated financing for women-led enterprises, and expanded access to higher-order financial services in rural India.