Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 3 (ANI): In a move to boost entrepreneurship of the women, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday presented cheques to 5,791 women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan (MMUA) at a function help at Kahikuchi in Azara.

The Chief Minister presented cheques of Rs 10,000 each to the beneficiaries from Jalukbari constituency to help them in their entrepreneurial activities.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Sarma highlighted the presence of the SHGs in both rural and urban areas of the state.

'There are about 50,000 such self-help groups in urban areas. About 40 lakh women from the self-help groups in the state are receiving revolving funds as well as loans through banks. The state government had earlier provided revolving funds of Rs 25,000 each to such groups through Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana, which has enabled many self-help groups to do significant economic activities and obtain bank loans worth Rs 16,000 crore,' the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister further stated that 99 per cent of the loans taken by SHGs had been repaid to the banks on time and more than 8 lakh out of 40 lakh women in the SHGs in the state have already earned more than Rs 1 lakh.

'The members of the SHGs are earning more than 10 lakh as the government has envisaged to help the unaddressed members of the self help groups through Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan. As a part of the scheme, a seed capital of Rs 10,000 is being given to each member of the self help groups to help them take entrepreneurial endeavours,' he said.

On the occasion, the CM appealed to members to make the best use of the seed capital and go for another round of disbursal seed capital from the government.

The CM further stated that the present government had been taking various steps to provide relief to poor and middle class families in the state.

'As a part of the initiatives, synchronizing with the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, State government is launching Orunodoi 3.0. Beneficiaries under the third edition of Orunodoi will be entitled to a subsidy of Rs 250 for buying LPG cylinders. From November 1, ration card holders will be provided with rice, sugar and salt at below market prices. I believe if a woman is financially self-sufficient, then a family is run much better. The emergence of SHGs in Assam, has led to empowering the women to take leadership of the society. Leadership of the women has also ushered in new prosperity in the state,' the Chief Minister said.

Further speaking on the alleged crime committed against women in the state, the CM stated that incidents of crime had significantly decreased, and the social status of women has increased.

He however, reiterated that the government will continue to take new initiatives to empower women in the future.

The Chief Minister said that the majority of Jalukbari constituency belongs to Guwahati city. Therefore, the number of beneficiaries of the MMUA in Jalukbari constituency is slightly lower than other constituencies in the state.

MP Lok Sabha Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, Additional Chief Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development B Kalyan Chakravarthy, Mission Director ASRLM Kuntal Moni Sarma Bordoloi and host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion. (ANI)