Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 6 (ANI): The Assam government aims to make 30 lakh women members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) as Lakhpati Didis by 2028-29 and to boost the state economy by empowering the women of the state, said an official on Wednesday.

Speaking to ANI, Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass said that there are around 40 lakh Women SHGs in Assam, and the state government has planned to make at least 30 lakh women of the state as Lakhpati Didis.

'Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly saying that, if India were to make itself a superpower, then we will have to uplift four communities - poor people, farmers, women and youth. We will not be able to make Bharat an Atmanirbhar Bharat, a superpower if we do not uplift these four communities. As of now, 8 lakh women members of SHGs have become Lakhpati Didis. Under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, we have selected 30 lakh members of SHGs out of 40 lakh women to make Lakhpati Didis. We are trying to make 30 lakh women members of SHGs to make Lakhpati Didis in the coming days,' Dass said.

He further said that the process has already started. 'From October this year, the women members of SHGs will get Rs 10,000 each. After that, they will get Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000. After 3 years, each woman will be able to earn Rs 8000 per month and Rs 1 lakh per year. If we become successful, then the women members of SHGs of the state will do business worth Rs 30,000 crore annually,' the Rural Development minister added.

He also said that if 30 lakh women start their own businesses, then it will boost the state's GDP. 'Our Panchayat and Rural Development department is engaged in this process to achieve success. We are very hopeful that we will become successful in the coming days. Unless we uplift our women, we will not be able to make Assam one of the top 5 states in the country. Apart from the infrastructure development, the initiatives of upliftment of our women, farmers, poor people, and youths are also going on,' Dass said.

On the other hand, regarding the Assam government's largest welfare scheme, the Orunodoi scheme, the Assam Minister stated that it is not a beneficiary scheme.

Earlier, there was no provision to help poor women, widows, and divorced women, and a person with disability would have to help them. In the coming days, 40 lakh women of the state will get Orunodoi. There are 62 lakh ration card holders in the state. We are trying to provide one Orunodoi against each ration card. Now our government is providing Rs 1250 to each eligible woman under the Orunodoi scheme. In the coming days, if any woman who gets benefits under the Orunodoi scheme takes an LPG connection cylinder, then we will provide them Rs 250 as a subsidy (additional). They will get Rs 1500 in total.

The Orunodoi scheme is a major poverty alleviation program of the Assam government, and it provides monthly financial assistance to eligible women in poor households through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The scheme aims to empower women of the state by providing them with financial support for essential needs like medicines, pulses and other necessities.

The BJP-led Assam government will launch Orunodoi 3.0 on September 17 for families belonging to economically weaker sections of the state, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. Under this initiative, nearly 40 lakh women from low-income families will receive Rs 1250. (ANI)