Sribhumi (Assam) [India], September 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday attended a meeting at Mundamala playground in Sribhumi and distributed cheques to 15,671 Self Help Group members in Patharkandi under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan.
According to a release, the scheme aims to provide seed capital to over 35 lakh women across Assam in sectors like agriculture, livestock and handloom.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma urged all the beneficiaries to use the Rs 10,000 seed capital received under the MMUA for productive activities for them to become financially self-reliant and help in the development of their families.
"The beneficiaries can use the funds for any productive activity on their own or they can use the funds collectively with other women in the self-help groups to run commercial activities. The fund can also be used by a member of the beneficiary's family for business. The process of providing entrepreneurship funds does not end here. Next year, the government will conduct a survey on how the women beneficiaries use the fund. On productive utilisation of the fund thus received from the government, they will be entitled to another instalment of seed capital amounting to Rs. 25,000, of which Rs. 12,500 will be borne by the government and the remaining amount will be made available from the bank. On positive utilisation of the fund, the government will give another instalment of seed capital to the tune of Rs. 50,000 to each applicant of women SHGs," the Chief Minister said.
Therefore, the Chief Minister requested the beneficiaries not to use the fund received today for unproductive work.
He said that taking together the three instalments, every beneficiary would receive Rs 85,000.
He also assured that the women who use this preliminary instalment of Rs 10,000 for a productive purpose would receive the remaining amount from the government.
Chief Minister Sarma on the occasion also announced that his government will start doling out financial incentives under Orunodoi 3.0 from the coming 17th September.
"Under the scheme, besides getting Rs. 1,250 per month, the beneficiaries would receive Rs. 250 as subsidy for buying LPG cylinder. From November onwards, the state government will also start providing rice, sugar and salt at a subsidized rate," he said.
Giving snapshot of all the welfare schemes, the Chief Minister sought blessings from the people to be able to sustain the schemes in future as well. He moreover reiterated government's commitment to give succor to everybody belonging to below poverty line.
He moreover spoke about Nijut Moina Scheme along with another programme of the government in giving Rs 300 per month to the students of HSLC for having nutritious food.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Krishnendu Paul, MP Kripanath Malla, MLAs Vijay Malakar, Siddique Ahmed, Kamalakhya De Purkayastha, Mission Director Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission Kuntal Moni Sarma Bordoloi and a host of other dignitareis were present on the occasion.