Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma distributed Rs 10,000 cheques to 32,787 SHG members in Rangia under a women empowerment scheme. He also inaugurated a park honouring freedom fighter Shantiram Lahkar and paid tribute to Lachit Borphukan.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, continuing his government’s acts of women empowerment, on Monday distributed cheques containing Rs 10,000 entrepreneurial seed capital to each of the 32,787 SHG members under Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan, strengthening women-led enterprise and expanding livelihood opportunities of the women across Rangia Legislative Assembly Constituency. Of the total beneficiaries in Rangia LAC, 30,665 are from rural areas, while 2122 are from urban areas.
Inauguration of Developmental Projects
As a part of his day-long visit to Rangia, Chief Minister Sarma inaugurated the Shantiram Lahkar Park in Ward No. 4 of Rangia town near the municipal office. The park honors Shantiram Lahkar, the first freedom fighter of Rangia and the architect of modern Rangia. He unveiled a life-sized statue of Shantiram Lahkar placed inside the park and released a book written in his memory. The Chief Minister also opened a clock tower built inside the park. He further inaugurated an inspection bungalow of the Public Works Department in Rangia Town and the newly built offices of the North Kamrup Road Division and Subdivision of the Public Works Department.
Tributes to Bir Lachit Borphukan
At the outset of the cheque distribution programme, Chief Minister Sarma paid rich tributes to Bir Lachit Borphukan on his birth anniversary and called him a brave son of Mother Assam. He said that Lachit Borphukan’s courage and valour enabled the Ahom army to defeat the Mughals and demonstrate the bravery inherently associated with Assam. He urged the new generation of Assam to draw inspiration from Lachit Borphukan’s ideals and protect Mother Assam and her land.
Vision for ‘Lakhpati’ Women Entrepreneurs
Speaking about the need of women empowerment, Chief Minister Sarma said that drawing deep inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi when during his visit to Jorhat, he spoke about his vision of turning three crore women across the nation to ‘lakhpati’, Assam Government envisaged and launched Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan with a dream of helping the women of the state become ‘lakhpati’.
He said that many women in Assam have already reached the level of becoming lakhpati. He even said that several women in the state have become Maha Lakhpati Baideu by earning Rs 10 lakh or more every year. He said that the Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan will distribute seed capital to 32 lakh women in Assam by this January. Sarma moreover said that the first instalment of Rs 10,000 marks the beginning of the scheme. He said that when a woman beneficiary makes productive use of the first instalment, she will be entitled to Rs 25,000 as a second instalment. In the event of good use of the first and second instalments, the women beneficiary will get the third instalment that is Rs 50,000.
Guidelines for Fund Utilization
Explaining about the judicious use of the seed capital, the Chief Minister said that woman beneficiaries can deposit the fund in their self help group to build a pool of capital. With this fund and bank loans, they can start a joint business. They can also start an individual business or expand an existing family business. He said the government will review the use of their funds after six to seven months.
Success Stories from Rangia
The Chief Minister said that women in Assam have worked hard to become financially independent and many have established themselves as Lakhpati and Maha Lakhpati Baideus. Citing examples from the Rangia constituency, Sarma said Namita Kalita, a member of the Manikanchan Self Help Group under the Akashiganga CLF in Rangia Development Block, built her livelihood through a restaurant and food business. She earns about Rs. 12,000 every month.
He said Babita Choudhury, a member of the Sowarshiri Self Help Group under the Mahiyoshi CLF in Tulsibari village in the same constituency, earns about Rs. 15,000 every month by running her business.
Broader Government Initiatives and Achievements
The Chief Minister said three thousand more women in the Rangia constituency will soon be included in Orunodoi scheme. He said 33,784 families in the constituency now receive support under Orunodoi. He said 40,178 beneficiaries have received free cooking gas connections and 4,376 girl students have received benefits under the Nijut Moina scheme.
He said the Assam government, with support from the Central government, continues to work for poor and middle class families in the state. He said the State government has fulfilled its election promises by giving government jobs to more than one lakh youth through a clean and fair merit based process.
The Chief Minister said that women in Assam have grown more aware and empowered. He said that the government is providing bicycles to girls of Class IX standard, scooters to college students and free admission.
He said that the government aims to address the concerns of women through the Orunodoi scheme, Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan and supplying of sugar, salt, lentils at subsidized rates along with free rice. (ANI)
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