Gorakhpur: Riding on Centre and state govt’s push for women’s empowerment, a growing number of rural women are turning financially independent under various self-employment schemes. One such woman is Mansa Devi of Harpur village in Brahmpur block, who has emerged as a role model after building a steady income through an e-rickshaw venture.Once confined to household responsibilities, Mansa joined a self-help group amid financial constraints at home and resolved to chart a new path. Under govt’s self-mobility programme for rural women, she launched her own e-rickshaw enterprise. She availed a loan of Rs 1.25 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana to purchase the vehicle. Driving e-rickshaw, Mansa earns around Rs 20,000 per month. She has also begun training other women to operate e-rickshaws, encouraging them to take up self-employment. Her achievements earned her a place among 14 ‘Lakhpati Didis’ from the state who were invited as special guests to the Republic Day parade in New Delhi this year.Deputy commissioner (self-employment) Neerja Gupta said Mansa’s journey from managing household chores to becoming a ‘Lakhpati Didi’ has made her a role model for others. She added that as many as 38,750 rural women in Gorakhpur had so far achieved ‘Lakhpati Didi’ milestone by benefiting from govt schemes, underlining that women’s empowerment is now translating into tangible change on the ground.
