HT Correspondent
KHERONI, Jan 12: On the eve of Bhogali Bihu’s Uruka, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday launched a major women’s empowerment initiative in Dokmoka and issued a strong political message on Assam’s demographic and cultural identity.
Addressing a large public rally under the Howraghat Assembly constituency, the chief minister formally rolled out the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan (MMMUA).
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As part of the programme, cheques of ₹10,000 each were distributed to 33,811 women beneficiaries, aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods and encouraging entrepreneurship.
Officials said the scheme is intended to help women associated with self-help groups transition into small-scale entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the event, Sarma said the government’s objective was to ensure that women in Karbi Anglong played an active role in the state’s economic growth rather than remaining limited to welfare support.
The chief minister also announced an expansion of social welfare coverage in the region, stating that an additional 2,500 women from Howraghat would be included under the Orunodoi scheme in the coming days.
He further said that welfare initiatives would continue if the BJP returned to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Referring to alleged remarks by former AMSU president Rejaul Karim Sarkar, who recently joined the Congress, the chief minister claimed that statements about creating a “Greater Assam” reflected a dangerous mindset linked to demographic change.
Sarma alleged that in Dhubri, indigenous people had been reduced to a minority due to large-scale settlement by people from outside the state, and warned against any attempt to replicate such a demographic pattern in Upper Assam districts.
He rejected what he described as an expansionist interpretation of “Greater Assam”, asserting that the concept, as envisioned by Swargadeo Chaolung Sukapha and Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, was rooted in Assam’s indigenous and cultural ethos.
The chief minister’s visit and announcements were seen as a morale boost for the Karbi Anglong region ahead of Magh Bihu celebrations, combining welfare outreach with a strong political message on identity and demographic balance.
