PM disburses Rs.10K each to 7.5mn women in Bihar
PATNA, Sept. 27 -- Prime Minister on Friday exhorted women in Bihar to take a pledge not to let the dark age of the RJD rule return in Bihar in order to save the future of their children from anarchy, lawlessness and corruption. He said this after transferring Rs.10,000 each to 7.5 million women in the state virtually from New Delhi as part of a financial push to economically weak under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar, along with Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and Union minister Lalan Singh joined the PM in the release ceremony of the initial amount that seeks to assist women start a business venture, that upon passing the scrutiny in future, will receive a grant of Rs.2 lakh to make it flourish properly.
The PM said that the darkish age of the RJD era was so bleak that the succeeding Nitish Kumar government had to make a lot of efforts to revamp the rummaged landscape. Modi said that Bihar under Nitish Kumar has moved towards brightness leaving behind its dark past, when decrepit roads, missing bridges/culverts and fear psychosis due to Maoist violence and carnages -- all that affected women the most.
"Our government has worked hard to pull you out of that situation. There is an exhibition depicting newspaper clippings of the RJD period and that is itself enough to make one shudder. You all must visit the exhibition to have a feel of the distance you all have covered. Even doctors and engineers were not spared in the RJD regime. You have to keep them at bay if you want to protect your children," he added.
Highlighting the various women-centric schemes of the Centre and the State, Modi said that transferring such a big amount fully and directly in the bank accounts of mothers and sisters would not have been possible without the Jan Dhan scheme launched 11 years ago.
"You will get a full Rs.10,000 in your accounts, unlike earlier when a PM said that merely 15 paisa of Rs.1 sent by the Centre reached the targeted beneficiary. It is a big step of the Nitish government to add wings to mothers and sisters and it will also lend strength to Centre's Lakhpati Didi initiative by making Bihar a state with maximum Lakhpati Didis -- rural women with more than Rs.1 lakh annual income," he added.
Modi said that all the brothers have a desire to see their sisters happy, healthy and economically sound. "This is exactly what your two brothers -- Modi and Nitish -- are striving to do. When I got to know of the scheme, I was very impressed with its vision, as it involves one woman from each family. After the Rs.10,000 seed money, you can avail up to Rs.2 lakh financial assistance to have your own shops or ventures in different fields. The government will also organise training for it," he added.
The PM also lauded other schemes of the state and central governments that aim to empower the common folks and usher in positive change in the family. Describing over 11-lakh Jeevika Self-Help Groups in Bihar as a solid foundation for the launch of the scheme, the PM said the women-led development would touch all corners of the state. Citing examples of Ujjwaa Yojna and Jan Dhan schemes, he said that the NDA governments are changing household scenarios by making schemes with keeping women at the centre.
He also exhorted the women to avail the opportunities coming their way through Mudra Yojana, schemes like drone didi, beema sakhi, bank didi and opening of new sectors for them. "The government's only goal is to fulfil all your dreams and make your life happy. Now, women are flying fighter jets and joining armed forces and police. In Bihar, whenever I come, seeing so many women cops is really very heartening. Nitish government has ensured that women can move and work fearlessly now, which was not possible earlier," he added.
Maintaining that it was the duty of his government to take care of all their needs, Modi said that it was the reason free ration distribution under the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana was started during the COVID period to ensure that nobody slept with an empty stomach. "It was a big relief for mothers and sisters. The scheme is still on, benefiting 8.5-crore people. Our government also started giving PM houses to families mostly in the name of women to make them real 'maalkin' (owners). For your health concerns there are Atushmaan Bharat, Matri Vandana and health check up schemes," he added.
Modi also reminded the women of the drop in prices of all essential items due to reduction in GST rates during the festive season as a big relief to their household budget.
CM Nitish Kumar said that the previous government (of RJD) had done nothing for women. "They worked only for the family. When he had to leave the chair (oblique reference to Lalu Prasad) after seven years, he made his wife (Rabri Devi) the CM. They had no concern beyond family, while for us the entire state is a family and women empowerment has been our focus from the outset. The PM has also been working so hard for Bihar and things are set to get even better," he added....
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