Launched by the Yogi Adityanath government in October 2020, Mission Shakti was conceived as an umbrella initiative to guarantee the safety, dignity (samman), and self-reliance (swavalamban) of women across Uttar Pradesh.While it established robust security measures—such as dedicated women’s helpdesks at police stations, Pink Patrols, and fast-track grievance redressal—the campaign equally prioritized economic independence. By converging with schemes like the State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM) and MSME skill frameworks, it integrated women into self-help groups (SHGs), provided seed capital, and imparted vocational and entrepreneurship training. Through roles like BC Sakhis (banking correspondents) and micro-enterprise owners, Mission Shakti transformed women from passive welfare recipients into financially independent, active economic drivers in their communities.One of many success stories Has been of Suman Gautam’s whose sanitary napkin enterprise in Jhansi district illustrates how access to savings, credit, training and market linkages can help rural women build livelihoods while addressing important social needs.Women’s economic empowerment is increasingly being linked with rural development in Uttar Pradesh through self-help groups (SHGs), livelihood programmes, skill development and support for small enterprises. The approach is based on a practical idea: women should not merely receive the benefits of development schemes but also have the financial resources, skills and opportunities to become entrepreneurs, earn regular incomes and participate more actively in local economic activity.The experience of Suman Gautam, a 35-year-old woman from Durgapur village in Jhansi district, provides an example of how this approach can work at the grassroots level. A member of the Maa Gayatri Self-Help Group, Suman began her sanitary napkin business in 2024 with personal savings of Rs 15,000 and a loan of Rs 1.10 lakh obtained through the group. With determination and institutional support, she gradually expanded her distribution network to 30 villages. She now earns approximately ₹20,000 a month and plans to extend her business to 60 villages.Her enterprise represents more than an individual livelihood. By supplying sanitary napkins to rural communities, she is also helping improve access to menstrual hygiene products and encouraging conversations about menstrual health among women and adolescent girls.SHGs as a foundation for financial independenceUnder the Yogi Adityanath government, self-help groups have been an important channel for connecting rural women with livelihood opportunities. The Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM), implemented under the national Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), works to organise rural women into groups, strengthen their financial capabilities and help them develop sustainable sources of income.The self-help group model encourages members to save regularly, maintain collective records and build financial discipline. As groups mature, they can access bank credit and other forms of institutional support, enabling members to finance small businesses, purchase equipment, improve production or expand distribution.Suman’s experience demonstrates the practical value of this arrangement. Her initial savings gave her a starting point, while the Rs 1.10 lakh loan helped her establish and expand her business. Rather than depending entirely on personal resources, she could use the collective structure of the group to access finance for a productive activity.SHGs also provide women with a platform to share experiences, learn from one another and gain confidence in dealing with banks, suppliers and customers. For women in rural areas, where access to formal finance and business networks can be limited, this collective support can be an important first step towards entrepreneurship.DAY-NRLM and the expansion of rural livelihoodsThe Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission is a major framework for promoting rural livelihoods through women’s institutions. In Uttar Pradesh, the state mission works to mobilise rural households, particularly women from economically vulnerable communities, into self- help groups and their higher-level federations.The programme seeks to move beyond group formation by strengthening access to credit, financial literacy, capacity building and livelihood diversification. Women can undertake activities in agriculture, livestock rearing, food processing, tailoring, handicrafts, retail and other locally viable enterprises. Support through community institutions can help women identify business opportunities, understand basic accounting and manage loans more effectively. Depending on eligibility and programme provisions, groups may also receive revolving funds, community investment support and assistance in establishing bank linkages.For women such as Suman, these mechanisms can create a pathway from small savings to a functioning enterprise. The wider objective is to help households develop more reliable income sources and reduce their vulnerability to financial shocks.Training, mentoring and exposure build entrepreneurial confidenceAccess to credit alone does not guarantee the success of a business. Entrepreneurs must also understand demand, pricing, inventory, customer relations, transportation and record-keeping.Suman received assistance in training, maintaining accounts and understanding marketing materials. She also had an exposure visit to Lucknow, which helped her learn about more organised approaches to running a business. Such capacity-building measures can help rural women move from informal economic activity towards more systematic enterprise management.Under rural livelihood and skill-development initiatives, training and community-level support can help women improve their technical knowledge, financial literacy and business skills. Exposure visits and interaction with successful enterprises can also help them understand how products are marketed, how customers are reached and how a business can be expanded sustainably.The importance of this support becomes clear in Suman’s distribution model. She uses an e- rickshaw to supply sanitary napkins across 30 villages. This arrangement helps her reach customers beyond her immediate locality and illustrates how a rural entrepreneur can adapt transport and distribution to local needs.Her plan to expand to 60 villages will require continued attention to demand, supply, working capital and distribution costs. These are precisely the areas in which appropriate training and mentoring can help small enterprises develop further.