Guwahati (Assam) [India], November 12 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday hit out at the Congress party for criticising the state government's financial assistance scheme for women, saying that while Congress distributed lungi, dhoti, and mosquito nets once every five years, wheras his government is empowering women by providing Rs 10,000 directly to their accounts.
Addressing an event in Guwahati, Chief Minister Sarma said, "Congress people said that the amount of Rs 10,000 which we have given, is a waste of money. When they give a lungi-dhoti, is that not waste? Is it good to give Lungi, Dhuti or provide Rs 10,000 to the women of Assam? They will give a lungi, a dhoti, and a mosquito net only once every 5 years."
He further said that his government's welfare initiatives are not based on political affiliations. "We called the women here, but we did not ask who had voted for Congress. Our aim is to make all women Lakhpati Didi," he added.
Meanwhile, joining the rest of the country in celebrating Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh Pakhwada from November 1 to 15, Chief Minister Sarma handed over land title certificates under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to 4,673 indigenous tribal families at a function held at Chhaygaon in Kamrup district.
The beneficiaries include members of the Garo, Rabha, Bodo, and Karbi communities residing in reserved forest areas such as Lakhra, Bondapara, Kulshi, Loharghat, Bamunigaon, Boko, and Singra.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Sarma said that the event was part of the nationwide celebration marking the 150th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagawan Birsa Munda.
He noted that the beneficiaries have been living in forest areas for generations and that the Forest Rights Act of 2005 legally recognised their rights over forest land. "After assuming office as the Chief Minister in 2021, I had directed the concerned departments and officials to take measures to ensure that every tribal family living in forest areas of the state is granted land rights," Sarma said.
The Chief Minister said the state government remains committed to empowering tribal communities. "Our aim is to provide land rights to every tribal person residing in Assam's forest areas. I am happy that, as a result of the government initiatives, we have been able to empower the tribal communities, and the land issues of these communities are gradually being resolved," he said.