Bhopal: In celebration of International Women’s Day, the states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have distributed instalments of financial assistance to eligible women members.
Madhya Pradesh offers Rs 1250 per month to each eligible woman under the Ladli Behna Yojana, while Chhattisgarh provides Rs 1000 under the Mahatari Vandana Yojana.
During a program held in Bhopal, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, reaffirmed his commitment to granting the monthly assistance of Rs 1250 to each eligible woman.
A total of Rs 1553 crore was transferred to their respective accounts, marking the 22nd instalment of the scheme, released on Friday.
“There are nearly 1.29 crore women members in Madhya Pradesh. As promised, we have transferred the funds to each woman’s account and will continue to do so,” the Chief Minister stated, emphasising the role of women in the development of Madhya Pradesh.
Slamming the Congress party, he claimed that they never had the funds to support women in the state. Additionally, the Chief Minister transferred Rs 56 crore as financial assistance on cooking gas cylinders to 29 lakh eligible women. Highlighting the 35 per cent reservation offered to women, Yadav mentioned that Madhya Pradesh has gone a step further by providing 35 per cent reservation instead of the 33 per cent offered elsewhere, paving the way for progressive women in the state.
The Madhya Pradesh government approved 35 per cent reservation for women in all government service recruitments last November.
In Madhya Pradesh, while 57.7 per cent of men participate in the labour force in rural areas, only 23.3 per cent of women do. Similarly, in urban areas, only 13.6 per cent of women participate in the labour force compared to 55.9 per cent of men, according to state government data.
Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh government also transferred the next instalment of financial assistance of Rs 1000 to every woman under the “Mahatari Vandana Yojana.” As many as 70 lakh women benefit directly from the scheme.
“To economically empower the mothers and sisters of the state, the double-engine government had pledged to provide every woman with financial assistance of Rs 1000. To fulfil this promise, our government deposits the amount into women’s accounts every month. For the empowered future of every woman in Chhattisgarh, the journey of the Mahatari Vandana Yojana will continue unceasingly,” Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme in Chhattisgarh to provide financial assistance of Rs 1000 per month to eligible married women as a monthly direct benefit transfer. The scheme aims to ensure economic empowerment, provide financial security, promote gender equality, and strengthen the decisive role of women in the family. The scheme will benefit all eligible married women in the state who are above 21 years of age as of January 1, 2024. Widows, divorced, and deserted women will also be eligible.
Around 70 lakh women will benefit from the scheme, with each instalment amounting to Rs 655 crore. Chhattisgarh government has recently earmarked a provision of Rs 5500 crore in the recent annual budget up Rs 2500 crore from the previous year’s Rs 3000 crore.
(IANS)
