Nearly 40 lakh beneficiaries to get Rs 9,000 next week: Himanta on Women's Day
Guwahati (PTI): Emphasising that women empowerment has been central to Assam's growth story, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday, on the occasion of International Women's Day, said that nearly 40 lakh 'Orunodoi' beneficiaries will receive Rs 9,000 each next week.
The consolidated payment comprising grants for four months along with an additional amount will be made on Tuesday, making it a record bank transfer of Rs 3,600 crore on a single day under a government scheme, he claimed.
The single-day transfer to women beneficiaries comes as the state gears up for Assembly elections, when the BJP-led government will seek a third straight term.
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"On March 10 at 10.30 am, 40 lakh Orunodoi families will receive Rs 9,000 each," Sarma said in a Facebook Live.
Orunodoi is a flagship poverty alleviation scheme of the current government, under which eligible women beneficiaries receive Rs 1,250 per month.
On the occasion, meetings will be held at the local level across the state, and the CM invited the beneficiary families to attend those, maintaining that it was the support of the people which has been the strength of the government.
"On a single day, Rs 3,600 crore will be transferred to the beneficiaries, it will also be a record," he claimed.
Sarma had announced earlier that payment for four months from January this year, along with an additional amount for Bohag Bihu celebration (marking the Assamese New Year in mid-April), will be paid together in March.
Highlighting his government's focus on women’s development, Sarma said in a post on X: "Empowering women has been central to Assam's growth story. From financial security to education, healthcare and entrepreneurship, our initiatives are helping lakhs of women step forward with confidence and independence."
"Today, we celebrate the strength and spirit of Assam's #NariShakti," he added.
In another post seeking support for the party in the coming elections, Sarma said, "One right vote can change the voice inside every home. The focus of @BJP4Assam has been to empower Assam's #NariShakti and every action of ours has reflected this belief."
Asserting that the effort to empower women will continue with more rigour, he appealed all to "Choose wisely, choose BJP".
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO), also in a post on the social media site, maintained that major strides have been made for the women of the state.
Under Central and state governments initiatives that have helped women, over 59 lakh tap water connections and more than 51 lakh Ujjwala gas connections for smoke-free kitchens have been provided.
Over 5.5 lakh 'Lakhpati Didis' have been created in the state, more than 900 women-led startups have been opened and 56,000 Anganwadi workers trained.
"On #WomensDay, we celebrate Assam's unstoppable #NariShakti, who are securing futures, leading enterprises & shaping a #ViksitAssam," the CMO added.
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Sabarimala gold loss: How did the accused reach Rahul's home, asks Vijayan
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday hit back at Rahul Gandhi for targeting the ruling CPI(M) over the Sabarimala gold loss case during a poll campaign, questioning how the accused in the case had managed to reach the Congress leader's home.
The Marxist veteran was apparently referring to a widely circulated purported photograph in which the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold loss cases, Unnikrishnan Potty, accompanied by some senior Congress leaders, was seen with Sonia Gandhi at her residence in Delhi.
He also said people have already given a reply to Rahul, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on this matter.
The CM's reaction came a day after Rahul sang a line from a popular parody song about CPI(M) leaders' alleged roles in the gold theft at the Sabarimala temple while addressing a corner meeting as part of the assembly polls campaign in Pathanamthitta district.
As he sang the line "swarnam kattathu aarappa" (who stole the gold of Ayyappa) from a song used by the Congress-led UDF to target the ruling Left during the local body polls a few months ago, at the meeting in Pathanamthitta -- the district where the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa is located-- the crowd cheered Rahul.
Soon after Gandhi targeted the Left party over the gold loss issue, CPI (M) activists began a social media campaign making allegations against his mother and former party chief Sonia Gandhi in connection with the matter.
While replying to a question regarding this, CM Vijayan said the Congress leader already got a befitting reply and should he also repeat the same.
"If he thinks about how all those who were involved in the stealing had reached his home...then he will get a reply. Anyway, we don't have any such flaws," Vijayan added.
Attacking the Left and the BJP over the Sabarimala gold loss issue, Rahul Gandhi on Monday had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had forgotten about what happened in Sabarimala, during his visit to Palakkad as part of election campaign.
Rahul claimed that the prime minister remained silent to avoid damaging the LDF.
He had also said that a UDF government would ensure that those responsible for alleged irregularities related to the temple are punished.
