PRAYAGRAJ, Nov. 17 -- Just a few years ago, 52-year-old Manisha Sahu of Ismailpur village in the trans-Ganga region of Prayagraj was struggling to keep her household afloat. Her husband, a casual labourer, had become bedridden due to a severe illness, leaving the family with no steady income. Unable to afford her children's schooling, she sent them to her parents' home in nearby Phulpur, where her father took charge of their education. Manisha stayed behind, determined to find a way to rebuild her life. Her turning point came in 2020, when she joined the Maa Ganga Self-Help Group (SHG) under the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM). She became a "Bijli Sakhi," responsible for collecting electricity bill payments in nearby villages. Each morning, Manisha set out on an old bicycle, going door to door to collect dues. In the beginning, her commission was small-barely enough to get by. But Manisha persevered. "With consistent effort and a growing network, my income kept rising. Today, I earn over Rs.20,000 a month-enough to buy a scooty and support my family on my own," she said proudly. Her journey has inspired more than two dozen women in her village to join the initiative, each finding a path to financial stability and dignity. Manisha's story is part of a broader transformation unfolding across the rural landscape of Uttar Pradesh. Through SHGs formed under the State Rural Livelihood Mission, thousands of women are gaining new skills, responsibilities and income opportunities-reshaping not just their households but entire communities. In Prayagraj alone, the scale of this change is significant. According to Ashok Kumar Gupta, deputy commissioner (NLRM), 820 women linked with SHGs have been appointed as Bijli Sakhis. Their duties include collecting electricity bill dues across villages and spreading awareness about government schemes in the power sector. Of these, 324 Bijli Sakhis are currently active, with the Maa Ganga SHG-Manisha's group-emerging as one of the leading performers. Under Manisha's leadership, the group has delivered impressive results. By the first week of November this year, they had deposited over Rs.12 crore in electricity bill payments to the department. Officials estimate that the figure may cross Rs.22 crore by the end of the financial year. The Bijli Sakhi initiative has provided them not only economic stability but also confidence and respect within their families and communities....