Agartala: The Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM) has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta to help 250 women-led enterprises achieve the milestone of becoming “crorepati didis,” officials said on Wednesday.
At present, more than 4.68 lakh households are engaged in 54,263 Self Help Groups (SHGs) under TRLM, and around 1.08 lakh women have already attained the “lakhpati didi” status, earning over Rs 1 lakh annually.
“A Rs 10.60 crore incubation plan will be rolled out over three years in collaboration with IIM Calcutta to develop 250 ‘crorepati didis’. A presentation on the project has already been submitted to the Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD),” said TRLM Chief Executive Officer Tarit Kanti Chakma.
He said that while the initial plan aimed to nurture 150 such women entrepreneurs, the Centre advised raising the target to 250 in view of Tripura’s success in empowering women through SHGs.
TRLM will soon invite applications from aspiring women entrepreneurs through advertisements in local newspapers. The received applications will be forwarded to IIM Calcutta, which will identify and mentor potential candidates.
“Women already engaged in SHGs with an annual turnover of Rs 5 lakh or more will be given preference, but non-SHG members can also apply,” Chakma explained.
He added that Tripura has no shortage of aspiring women, as over one lakh have already become lakhpatis, with some SHGs earning more than Rs 40 lakh annually, significantly boosting the rural economy.
Under the new initiative, TRLM will provide capacity-building training, business development support, and linkages with banks and markets to ensure sustainable growth. Dedicated incubator cells will also be established at the district and block levels for regular monitoring.
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Chakma further said that TRLM will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIM Calcutta as its incubation partner. IIM Calcutta, which has successfully implemented similar programmes in West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar, was chosen for its proven expertise.
“The Centre has selected Tripura for this ambitious project, recognizing the state’s consistent success in implementing rural development and women empowerment schemes,” he added.
