A CORRESPONDENT
BARPETA: Jayanta Mallabaruah, Minister, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and Department of Housing & Urban Affairs, stressed the Government of Assam’s commitment to empowering women and bolstering rural economies while distributing benefits under key schemes in the Barpeta district on Tuesday. The Minister kickstarted the “12 Days of Development” initiative in the district, disbursing benefits under the Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS), Prime Minister Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME), and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for disaster relief.
Under AMFIRS, 2048 “No Due Certificates” were disbursed to ease microfinance loan burdens. The Minister noted that the scheme had benefited over 12 lakh people across Assam since 2021, particularly helping rural women achieve financial stability. This marks another milestone in fulfilling the government’s flagship electoral promise of easing the financial burden on borrowers who struggled to repay loans, he asserted.
The Government of Assam’s goal is to uplift economically backward women and strengthen Assam’s rural economy, the Minister said, adding that the envisioned initiatives aim to free women from financial hardships and create opportunities for self-reliance. He highlighted the “Nijut Moina” initiative, aimed at educating and empowering women to achieve self-reliance, stressing that women’s education and active participation in the workforce are vital for Assam’s progress.
At the same time, 180 beneficiaries under the PMFME scheme in Barpeta also received benefits during the Minister’s visit. The PMFME aims to enhance local food processing enterprises like Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and cooperatives. These initiatives, the Minister said, will help Barpeta’s enterprising youth transform their traditional know-how into well-structured and flourishing enterprises.
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