GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said that the state government gave importance to empowerment of women to make them economically self-reliant. He was addressing a Mahila Samaroh (women conclave), which was organized by the State Rural Livelihood Mission at Mirza in Kamrup district.
Sonowal in his speech also emphasised on the need for greater proliferation of education amongst women to make them vital partners of the development process. Coinciding the programme, Sonowal also distributed cheques amounting to Rs. 25,000 each to women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Achoni.
Addressing a mammoth gathering of Self-Help Groups representing nine legislative assembly constituencies under Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency, Sonowal said that the state government had taken up several projects aiming at empowering the women. He said that when women become empowered that eventually led to empowerment of the entire society.
Stating that education plays a significant role in boosting the skills and abilities of women, Sonowal said that the state government had given priority to educating the women. He urged the women to join hands with the government in its initiatives in the education sector and urged them to take the role of conscious citizens in making moral, spiritual and technical education popular amongst the youth. Further saying that the state government is working without any discrimination to spread education in the society, he informed that nine women colleges would be set up in minority dominated areas of the state.
Sonowal also highlighted the examples of popular names of Chaygaon area, Alaka Das who has been engaged in home delivery of LPG cylinder mounting them on her bi-cycle for the last ten years and ‘Village Rockstars’ famed filmmaker Rima Das who have exemplified women power in the state. Citing their examples, he said that there is no dearth of talent and abilities amongst the women of the state. Stating the women power as the supreme power, Sonowal also called upon them to work for spreading awareness against evil forces and superstition and also promote peace, harmony, unity and brotherhood in the society.
Sonowal urged the women to be vigilant so that no evil force could destabilize the society and affirmed the government’s resolve to not allowing any such forces to negatively impact the society. He also appreciated the support extended by the women of the state towards his government. He said that their unstinted support encouraged the government to continue its fight against corruption. As a result of government’s anti-corruption drives, 45,000 youth could be provided government jobs in a very transparent manner on the basis of merit only, he added.
Minister of Finance, Health and PWD etc. Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma delivering said that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee first launched the SHG scheme in the country and the state government was working to give a new dimension to the same through Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Achoni. He also informed that under this new scheme, state government would provide financial assistance upto Rs. 5 lakh to the SHGs, which show remarkable performance in their chosen field of activity. Urging the women SHGs to work with sincerity and dedication, Dr. Sarma also asked them to take the message of the public welfare schemes of the government to the targeted beneficiaries.
The Finance Minister also announced that the state government would launch the universalized old age pension scheme on the forthcoming 2nd October is a bid to provide social security to all the senior citizen of the state irrespective of their economic condition. He also said that the state government would begin construction of 19 cancer care centres in designated hospitals with an expenditure of around Rs. 2000 crore in the state on 18th June.