Pijush Hazarika distributes cheques under AMFIRS in Sonitpur

HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, Oct 30: Minister for Information & Public Relations, etc., Pijush Hazarika ceremoniously launched the distribution of cheques among category II beneficiaries of Sonitpur district under Assam Micro-Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS), 2021. The programme was organised at Baan Theatre in Tezpur on Sunday.
Altogether 560 beneficiaries out of the 4783 beneficiaries under category II received cheques worth Rs 20,000 each against a total amount of Rs 1.12 crore on Sunday. The remaining beneficiaries will be handed over the cheques by the respective circle officers within November 10, 2022 and a total amount of Rs 7.67 crore has been earmarked for the purpose.
The minister later took part in a similar ceremony in Biswanath where he launched the distribution of cheques for category II beneficiaries under AMFIRS 2021 of the district. A total of 3058 beneficiaries will receive cheques under this category and an amount of Rs 5.08 crore has been earmarked for the purpose.
Addressing the gathering in Tezpur, minister Pijush Hazarika said the then Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had before the last Assam Assembly elections, announced that he would waive microfinance loans for women of the state. Stating that so far, the government of Assam led by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken steps to provide debt relief of more than Rs 7,500 crore to women in the state, minister Hazarika said the government has fulfilled the promises made to the people.
The minister said, “The state government has not compromised on the development of the state despite the debt waiver of more than Rs 7,500 crore as feared by many opposition leaders, and the state is marching ahead on the path of development.”
Minister Pijush Hazarika also said, “For the first time ever, the state government has from its own funds taken up construction of a bridge over the Brahmaputra connecting North Guwahati, and that the project is almost nearing completion.”
Adding that the government has been providing Rs 1,250 per month to about 20 lakh people in the state under the Orunodoi scheme, the minister said the state is considering increasing the amount to Rs 2,500 in the near future. At the same time, the government has taken steps to provide relief to the farmers of the state by fixing the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy at Rs 1,940 per quintal in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to double farmers’ incomes, he added.
Addressing the media, minister Hazarika said the Assam government has kept its promise and waived off microfinance loans taken by women at a cost of more than Rs 7,500 crore. The smiles on the faces of the women who have received this financial relief was a big achievement of the government of Assam, he added.
Member of Parliament Pallab Lochan Das, MLA Tezpur Prithiraj Rava, DC Deba Kumar Mishra; chairperson, Sonitpur Zilla Parishad, Dolly Surin; vice-chairman, AMTRON, Ritubaran Sarmah; vice-chairman, ATPPCL, Tulshi Borthakur; chairperson, TMB, Prajnanoo Bhattacharyya; social worker Batash Orang were present in the programme.
It may be noted that the Assam Micro-Finance Incentives and Relief Scheme was launched by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from Tezpur on November 28, 2021 for category I beneficiaries. On Sunday, the cheques were distributed to category II beneficiaries, those who have not been able to repay their microfinance loans for the last 1-89 days and whose accounts have expired but have not become NPAs. The government will provide one-time incentive assistance of up to Rs. 20,000 directly to these borrowers to pay their outstanding amounts to keep their accounts functional and strengthen the credit culture in the state.