HT Correspondent
NAGAON, Oct 22: Chief Minister distributed seed capital of Rs 10,000 each to 26,585 women beneficiaries under the Mukhimyatri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan at a grand programme held at the Nehrubali Field in Nagaon on Wednesday.
The event, organised by the State Rural Livelihood Mission in coordination with the Nagaon district administration, witnessed a massive turnout, reflecting the growing enthusiasm for women empowerment initiatives in the state.
Related Posts:
Addressing the gathering, Sarma underscored the significance of empowering women and fostering self-reliance.
He highlighted the state government’s continuous efforts to uplift the socio-economic status of women, ensuring that schemes like Arunoday and Mukhimyatri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan serve as role models for other states in India.
According to the chief minister, several states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Haryana, have expressed interest in adopting similar models for promoting women entrepreneurship.
While addressing the programme, Sarma also criticised the opposition Congress for allegedly opposing these schemes, claiming that its leaders fail to comprehend the needs of economically weaker sections.
He pointed out that Congress leaders are largely unaware of the benefits of these initiatives and focus primarily on political rhetoric rather than the welfare of women and the poor.
Highlighting the success of the self-help group (SHG) movement in Assam, Sarma stated that over four lakh SHGs have been formed across the state, involving more than 40 lakh women.
He added that the state government has facilitated loans for women, with more than 99% of the loan amount already repaid, indicating the effectiveness and financial discipline of these groups.
Apart from the seed capital distribution, Sarma also inaugurated several development projects in Nagaon, including a multi-storied market complex, a swimming pool, and a newly constructed office of the Joint Director, District Health Services.
These initiatives, he said, reflect the state government’s broader vision of holistic development alongside economic empowerment.
The programme saw the participation of a large gathering of over 30,000 women, who sang Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s iconic song “Manuhe Manuhar Babe” in unison.
Dignitaries present at the occasion included minister Keshab Mahanta; MLAs Rupak Sarma, Jitu Goswami, Dipluranjan Sarma, and Shashi Kanta Das; district commissioner Debashish Sarma; and senior superintendent of police Swapnanil Deka, among other senior officials.
The chief minister’s address and the seed capital distribution programme underscored the government’s commitment to women empowerment, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth, while setting a benchmark for other states to emulate in fostering socio-economic development through targeted welfare schemes.
