Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Saturday distributed the second installment of Subhadra Yojana to 1 crore women of the state at Ambapua in Berhampur town of Ganjam district.
He said, “On the occasion of the 51st International Women’s Day, our new government of nine months has today paved the way for financial freedom for more than 1 crore mothers in the state. All the mothers have received Rs 10,000 in two instalments. In that regard, today is the happiest and most glorious day for me as the Chief Minister.”
The Chief Minister criticized the previous government and said, “Those who are asking what our government has done in 9 months, tell them that the government that was only giving slogans for women in 24 years, Mohan Sarkar, decided to implement the historic Subhadra Yojana within just 24 minutes of coming to power. The good news is that it started work within three months and today, in 9 months, it has provided the second installment of Subhadra to more than one crore women.”
He further said that the BJP’s detractors have forgotten that even a child has to spend 9 months in the mother’s womb to be born. “Our government has four more days left to complete 9 months. But, they really cannot believe the work we have been able to do for the people of Odisha in this short time. They cannot believe that in 24 years they could not give the farmers any more than the MSP, but how did this new government decide to give Rs 800 per quintal instead of Rs 100 in 24 minutes,” he said.
Majhi said, “What you could not think of doing for 24 years, we have made it happen. We have also taken the decision to arrange marriage of daughters of poor families and provide free Jagannath darshan to the poor people of the state.”
He further said that this program has become a revolution today, a Subhadra revolution.
“Subhadra Yojana is not just a program to distribute aid twice a year. Subhadra Yojana is going to take the form of a comprehensive campaign. Starting from the teenage girls, arrangements are being made to empower and prosper women of different ages. This will instil a new hope and confidence in the minds of every Subhadra of the state,” he said.
Sending a strong message to those who commit violence and misbehavior against women, the Chief Minister said, “Anyone who commits violence against women is a criminal to the government, especially to me personally, and such criminals have no place in the confines of a jail, they have no place in a civilized society. I have already given necessary instructions to the departmental officers to strictly implement this.”
He further said that the ‘Lakshapati Didi’ scheme has been started to make women lakhpatis. The target is to create 3 crore lakhpatis across the country.
“Our state has achieved second place in the whole of India by implementing the Lakshapati Didi scheme; so far, we have created 5 lakh lakhpatis. In Odisha, we are continuing the program to create at least 25 lakh lakhpatis by 2027. In the last 24 years, women empowerment remained just a slogan. However, our government has taken a pledge to empower women politically, socially and economically and is implementing various works and schemes,” the Chief Minister said.
During this event, the Chief Minister also launched development projects worth more than Rs 638 crore in Ganjam district.
While the foundation stone was laid for projects worth Rs 493 crore, projects worth more than Rs 145 crore were inaugurated. These include many water supply projects, road improvement, bridge construction, check dam projects, establishment of health care centers and in-stream storage projects, etc.
On this occasion Deputy Chief Minister Parvati Parida said that ‘Subhadra’ has reached more than 1 crore women today. “Our government has kept its word today. The promise we made within 8 months that we will empower women and we will fulfill it in the future as well,” she added.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Fisheries & Animal Resource Development Minister Gokulanand Mallick, Commerce & Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, Berhampur MP Pradeep Panigrahi, Aska MP Anita Subhadarshini and all the MLAs of Ganjam district were present at the event.
