GUWAHATI, Aug 5 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today ceremonially distributed revolving funds to women�s self help groups (SHGs) and area level federations (ALFs) under the Deendayal Antodaya Yojna National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) at a programme organised by the Assam State Urban Livelihood Mission Society, Urban Development Department at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here.
Calling upon the women of the State to come forward and take advantage of various welfare schemes launched for them by the government, Chief Minister Sonowal said that women must play a leading role in bringing about social change. He also said that women�s financial independence is very crucial to achieve development in the true sense.
Informing that the State�s farmers have been able to export their produce to international markets of Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Abu Dhabi, etc., Sonowal urged the women�s SHGs to produce quality goods which would be able to capture world markets.
At today�s programme, 600 women�s SHGs were provided Rs 25,000 each as revolving fund, where the Central government�s contribution is Rs 10,000 and the State government has contributed Rs 15,000.
Moreover, 3,865 women�s SHGs under 90 urban local bodies were also provided Rs 10,000 each for a total amount of Rs 3 crore 86 lakh and 50 thousand. This amount was ceremonially transferred to the banks for disbursement by the Chief Minister by pressing buttons on a laptop. Appointment letters to 70 community organisers under NRLM were also distributed by the Chief Minister at today�s programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State (Independent) for Urban Development Department Pijus Hazarika said it is time for the women�s SHGs to adopt some innovative ideas while producing goods because gamosa and pitha had been produced by scores of SHGs which resulted in market saturation. He also called upon the women�s SHGs under NULM to take up the task of garbage collection initiated in the municipality and town committee areas of the State for increasing their incomes.
Principal Secretary of Urban Development Department Niraj Verma, Secretary of Urban Development Department Hitesh Dev Sarma, State Mission Director of Assam State Urban Livelihood Mission Society Suvasish Das and Chairman of Assam Gramin Vikash Bank Sanjaya Nand were also present at the programme among others.
