Assam CM Empowers 70,000 Women with Rs 10,000 Cheques, Launches Key Projects

Under the same programme, he also handed over seed capital to 39,701 women in the Sipajhar Assembly Constituency in Darrang district. Under this distribution, entrepreneurship funds have so far been disbursed to 14,46,021 women across 62 Assembly Constituencies in the state under MMUA.

Chief Minister Sarma also virtually laid the foundation stone for a Super Speciality Hospital to be constructed at the Tezpur Medical College and Hospital campus, involving a project cost of Rs. 306 crore.

He also laid the foundation for Karmabir Chandranath Sharma Government Model Degree College to be built at Nij-Bihaguri, involving a financial outlay of Rs 35 crore.

The Chief Minister also virtually inaugurated the Sarkahat Mini Stadium, constructed at a project cost of Rs. 11 crore.

The six-storied super-speciality hospital block to be constructed at the Tezpur Medical College campus will house key departments, including Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, and Urology, as well as emergency services. In addition, it will include a mortuary block, a medical gas pipeline system, a cafeteria, and modern waste management facilities, thereby providing world-class healthcare services to the community.

On the other hand, the three-storied academic building of the Karmabir Chandranath Sharma Government Model Degree College, to be constructed at Nij Bihaguri, will be equipped with adequate classrooms, laboratories, digital classrooms, faculty rooms, and a lecture recording studio, among other modern academic facilities. This initiative will help empower the youth with high-quality education.

The Sarkahat Mini Stadium, inaugurated on Friday at the Sarkahat playground in Borsola constituency, includes a football ground, accommodation facilities for players, an RCC gallery, a boxing ring, and an indoor stadium with two badminton courts. Adequate arrangements for parking, sanitation, water supply, and electrification have been made to ensure the convenience of players and spectators.

Addressing two separate public meetings held on this occasion in Thelamara under Borsola constituency and at the historic Jora Pukhuri site in Ramgaon under Sipajhar constituency, Chief Minister Sarma said that the State government has launched this ambitious scheme covering 32 lakh women of the state with the aim of enhancing women's dignity and making them self-reliant.

Stating that the core objective of the scheme is to transform every woman into a 'Lakhpati', the Chief Minister said that more than eight lakh women in the state have already succeeded in earning over Rs. 1 lakh annually and have become Lakhpati. He further mentioned that several thousand women have even become 'Maha lakhpati' by earning more than Rs. 10 lakh annually.

Referring to the Sipajhar constituency, he said that with nearly 40,000 women receiving seed capital, Sipajhar has secured the first position in the state so far in terms of the number of beneficiaries under this scheme.

Citing success stories of Lakhpati Baideos from Borsola constituency, the Chief Minister said that Dulumoni Devi, a member of Pragati Self-Help Group from Mekanar Suburi village, has contributed to increasing her family's income by setting up a banana chips manufacturing unit. By establishing the unit under the name "Niranjan Foods", she is currently earning about Rs 35,000 every month and has emerged as a successful entrepreneur in the constituency.

He further mentioned that Latashree Tati, a member of the Jagaran Agragami Self-Help Group from Dhankhana village, earns approximately Rs. 19,000 per month by supplying milk from her dairy farm to Purabi Dairy in Guwahati.

Similarly, highlighting examples of Lakhpati Baideos from the Sipajhar constituency, Chief Minister Sarma said that Gitanjali Kalita Deka, a member of the Pragati Self-Help Group from Pithakhawa village, earns around Rs. 28,000 per month by operating a beauty parlour and a handloom weaving and tailoring unit. Likewise, Pranati Deka, a member of Nabajyoti Self-Help Group from Chengapara village, has achieved self-reliance through entrepreneurship by running a betel vine nursery and cultivating vegetables. By selling betel leaves and saplings, she is currently earning approximately Rs. 45,000-50,000 per month, the Chief Minister added.

Stating that the present State government has taken various measures through welfare schemes to make the daily lives of the people easier, the Chief Minister mentioned that schemes such as Orunodoi, free rice distribution, subsidy on cooking gas, free admissions, and Nijut Moina, etc, have been able to give dignity and quality to women.

He stated that beneficiaries under the Orunodoi scheme will receive Rs. 8,000 in a single payment to their bank accounts on 20 February. He also mentioned that from this month, ration card holders will be able to obtain pulses, sugar and salt for only Rs. 100.

Highlighting a new landscape of development created in Borsola constituency during the tenure of the present government, the Chief Minister said that a total of 30,458 beneficiaries in the constituency have benefited under the Orunodoi scheme. Under the Nijut Moina scheme, 2,225 girl students have benefited. Similarly, Eti Kuli Duti Paat scheme, several beneficiaries from tea gardens in the constituency have been covered.

He said that road construction from Dhupguri to Dhekiyajuli under the Assam Mala project has been completed in the constituency, while improvement works of nearly 19 km of road from Konaktara to Ghagra Kachari and 18 km of road from Rowta to Missamari are underway.

Speaking about development initiatives in the Sipajhar constituency, the Chief Minister said 33,349 beneficiaries have been covered under the Orunodoi scheme. Under the Nijut Moina scheme, 3,450 girl students have benefited, and 2,07,456 beneficiaries have been covered through ration cards.

He stated that, with the completion of the Guwahati Ring Road and the Narengi-Kuruwa connecting bridge, the Sipajhar constituency will undergo an unprecedented socio-economic transformation.

The Chief Minister further stated that it is only because of the cooperation extended by the people over the past five years that the State government has been able to move forward towards building a New Assam, and he expressed his gratitude to the people for their support.

- ANI