GUWAHATI:  In a bid to financially empower women and specially-abled persons, the Assam government would provide Rs 830 per month each to 18.20 lakh poor families under the ambitious ‘Orunodoi’ scheme, Finance and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Monday.

The minister said that under the Orunodoi scheme, to be launched on Tuesday in 29 of the 33 districts of the state, Rs 830 per month will be directly transferred into the account of the nominated female head of the household to meet their medical and nutritional needs.

“The Orunodoi scheme would be the biggest scheme in Assam which would initially benefit at least 18.20 lakh families and the number would subsequently increase,” he added.

The beneficiary family could spend the amount to buy medicines, pulses, sugar, vegetables and fruits.

A sum of Rs 280 crore has been earmarked in the current fiscal (2020-21) budget for the new scheme.

“Rs 830 per month aid would mean an additional annual income of Rs 10,000 for the poor households to meet their medical and nutritional needs, besides to meet the additional expenditure during various festivals,” Sarma said.

The minister also said that under the Orunodoi scheme, priority would be given to the households with widows, divorced, unmarried or separated women, and disabled persons.

To avail the benefits of the scheme, the beneficiary should be a permanent resident of Assam and her composite household income should be less than Rs 2 lakh per annum, Sarma added.

According to the minister, the state government through the district administrations has already selected 18.20 lakh recipients in 29 districts, which is expected to go up to 22 lakh as the four districts under the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) were not included because of the model code of conduct for the December 7 and 10 BTC polls.

IANS