Assam govt's revolving fund of Rs 25,000 helping women SHGs: Himanta

Guwahati, Sep 4 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said women, who earlier faced financial problems due to high-interest loans from microfinance institutions, are now able to carry out productive activities with the Rs 25,000 revolving fund under the Chief Minister’s Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan.

Speaking at a cheque distribution event in Sonitpur district's Dhekiajuli constituency, Sarma said the state currently has around 4 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) with over 40 lakh women members, of whom 8.5 lakh are already earning Rs 1 lakh or more annually, classifying them as ‘Lakhpati Baideus’.

Many of these ‘Lakhpati Baideus’ have even grown into bigger entrepreneurs, earning up to Rs 10 lakh every year , thereby rising to the level of ‘Maha Lakhpati Baideu’, he said.

Sarma ceremonially launched the distribution of cheques to 31,224 members of women SHGs, covering 29,523 women from rural areas and 1,701 from urban areas.

Many groups have also successfully taken bank loans, with 99 per cent repayment and with proper support, the remaining 32 lakh SHG women also can become ‘Lakhpati Baideus’, the CM said.

The CM urged the beneficiaries to use the government’s financial assistance for income-generating activities like dairy, beekeeping, making traditional food items or to strengthen family enterprises.

He suggested that every 10 SHG members could pool their funds in the group account and take additional loans from banks for productive purposes.

Alternatively, women could use the funds individually for self-employment or in their family businesses, he added.

He said if women invest the Rs 10,000 seed capital productively this year, they will become eligible for Rs 25,000 next year with bank support and subsequently Rs 50,000 in the next phase.

Implementing this scheme will require an expenditure of Rs 4,000 crore for providing Rs 10,000 seed capital to each woman and next year, providing Rs 25,000 will involve Rs 10,000 crore, while at the Rs 50,000 stage, the government will spend Rs 25,000 crore, Sarma said.

He said that over the past four-and-a-half years, the state government has been continuously working for the development and safety of girls and women.

Sarma announced that on September 17, which marks the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, women beneficiaries under Orunodoi 3.0 will start receiving Rs 1,250 monthly assistance.

Each Orunodoi family will also get an additional subsidy of Rs 250 for purchasing LPG cylinders and from November 1, ration card holders will receive pulses, sugar and salt at subsidised rates along with rice.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ashok Singhal, MP Ranjit Dutta, MLAs Ganesh Limbu and Prithviraj Rabha, Additional Chief Secretary of Panchayat & Rural Development Department B. Kalyan Chakravarty, District Commissioner Ananda Kumar Das along with several senior officials were present on the occasion. PTI DG DG MNB