Lucknow: The UP govt released success stories of women becoming self-reliant to mark the first day of Navratri. Officials said the story of Durgesh Tiwari, a resident of Bahuara village in Ballia district, is a symbol of rural transformation as she earned over Rs34 lakh from dairy farming in just two years.Tiwari’s journey reflects how access to organised markets and livelihood support is changing the economic landscape for women in villages. Coming from a modest background, her family relied on farming and a few cattle, often forced to sell milk at Rs20-25 per litre with irregular payments.“Managing household expenses and my daughters’ education was a constant struggle,” she recalled.Her turning point came after joining the Kashi Milk Producer Company Ltd in Varanasi, where she began receiving fair, quality-based prices and timely payments directly into her bank account. Encouraged by stable income, she expanded her dairy business to over 20 cattle.Within two years, her earnings crossed Rs34 lakh, earning her recognition as a “lakhpati didi”. The improved income enabled her to conduct her elder daughter’s marriage and support her family with dignity. She now aspires to see her younger daughter join the police force.Tiwari is currently the president of the Panchdevi Self-Help Group and is motivating other women in her village to take up dairy farming and become financially independent.Officials said such examples highlight the impact of the UP state rural livelihood mission, under which women are being linked to self-help groups and income-generating activities.
