Jaipur, 27 Aug. Chief Minister Mr Ashok Gehlot on Friday launched 'Mahila Nidhi' for the social and economic progress of women on the occasion of Women's Equality Day (Mahila Samaanta Divas).
Women will now get easy loans for everyday
needs, business expansion and entrepreneurship. He said just legislations alone
can't improve the condition of women. For equal treatment, there is dire need
to change the societal mindset. Many schemes are being run by the state
government for the welfare of women with special focus on education, health,
self-employment and IT training, so that they can contribute towards the all-round
development of the state.
Mr Gehlot
was addressing the state-level event organized as part of Women's Equality Day.
He said most of the schemes run by the state government are women-centric,
which shows our commitment towards women empowerment. The state government is
ensuring maximum participation of women in good governance of the state. In the
last three years, 52 announcements have been made in the budget for the welfare
of women.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is committed to provide security to women and girls and to make them aware about their rights. He said that the reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions was the contribution of former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi. It is because of his revolutionary reforms that women of today are more empowered than before. They are confident and work fearlessly.
The Chief
Minister said that the establishment of Mahila Nidhi through Rajasthan Rural
Livelihood Development Council was announced in the budget of 2022-23.
Rajasthan is the second state in the country after Telangana, where Mahila
Nidhi has been set up. It will strengthen women self-help groups with easy loans,
increase the income of poor and the marginalised and aid in social and economic
progress of women through skill development.
Under this scheme, loans up to Rs 40,000 will be deposited in the bank account of the group of members within 48 hours and loans above Rs 40,000 within 15 days. At present, 2.70 lakh SHGs have been formed in 33 districts of the state with 30 lakh families linked to the scheme. In the financial year 2022-23, around 50,000 SHGs are proposed to be formed, in which about 6 lakh families will be linked. A total of 36 lakh families in the state will get benefits from Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi in a phased manner depending on their needs.On this occasion, Shri Gehlot disbursed loans worth Rs. 1.42 crore from Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi to the members of 386 SHGs in 6 districts. He also rewarded 8 women of Rajivika Community Cadre for distinguished work at community level.
The Chief Minister said that Rajasthan has become a leading state in providing free medical facilities to every person. Under the Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana, free medical facilities up to Rs 10 lakh are being provided. Along with this, free OPD, IPD, free investigation facility is also available in government hospitals. The state government is also bearing the cost of organ transplant. He said that the Central Government should also adopt the Rajasthan health model.
Mr Gehlot said that Rajasthan is setting new records in the education sector. Today, more girls are taking admission in higher education than boys. Government English Medium Schools are being opened across the state where children are learning to read, write and speak English from primary classes. The government will soon provide smartphones to 1.33 crore women. With this they will gain access to information about various state schemes and their children will also be able to study online.
The Chief Minister said that social security of every resident of the state is our primary objective. At present, about 1 crore people are getting pension, including widows, single women and elderly women. Through various public welfare schemes, infrastructure including health, education, drinking water, electricity and social security is being expanded. He called upon the SHGs, Asha Sahyogini and Suraksha Sakhis to take the State Government's schemes to every door.
During the programme, the second phase of free sanitary napkin scheme 'Udaan' was also launched. A provision of Rs 600 crore has been made for 1.45 crore adolescent girls and women. It is noteworthy that 29 lakh adolescent girls and women have been benefited from the first phase of this scheme.
An MoU was also
signed with Amazon for online sale of products. This will allow products manufactured
or produced by over 15,000 women entrepreneurs and self-help groups to be
listed on the online marketplace and will be made available to millions of
Amazon customers across the country. This will empower artisans' and weavers'
community and encourage them for digital inclusion. Chief Minister's Work from
Home Job Work Scheme and Portal were also launched on this occasion.
The scope of
Indira Gandhi Matritva Poshan Yojana, which was earlier implemented in 5
districts of TSP area, has been extended to all the districts. Under this
scheme, a total of Rs 6,000 is given in 5 installments on the birth of second
child. Now, the benefit of this scheme will be available to the women all 33
districts from April 1, 2022.
Women and Child
Development Minister Smt. Mamta Bhupesh said the state government is working
with a vision of a healthy Rajasthan. The implementation of free sanitary
napkin scheme 'Udaan' has made Rajasthan a model state in the country.
Chief
Secretary Smt. Usha Sharma said that the announcement by the Chief Minister to
set up Mahila Nidhi in the budget was historic. The goal of 'equal
opportunities, equal rights' would be fulfilled.
Smt. Aruna
Roy, Founder, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan said that it is our moral responsibility
to think about women empowerment. This will be possible only with our unity and
solidarity. Appreciating the State's new Women's Policy-2021, she said that
women have been at the center of many schemes during every tenure of Chief
Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot.
Tourism
Minister Mr Vishvendra Singh, Chairman of Mewat Development Board Shri Zubair
Khan, UN Women Representative for India Susan Ferguson, Mr K. Raju, Tata
Trust CEO Shriyut Srinath Narasimhan, Principal Secretary Rural Development and
Panchayati Raj Smt. Aparna Arora, State Mission Director Rajivika Smt. Manju
Rajpal, Bank of Baroda Executive Director Mr Ajay K. Khurana and over 10
thousand women and officials associated with Rajivika were present. Apart from them,
thousands of women and dignitaries from across the state joined through video
conferencing.
