Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 19 : In an attempt towards intensifying women empowerment, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday launched the third phase of its direct benefit transfer scheme 'Orunodoi' across the state.
It may be noted that under the scheme, altogether 37.2 lakh beneficiaries would be benefitted.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Sarma in a bid to extend food security benefits, kick-started the distribution process of ration cards to 19,92,167 beneficiaries who will be eligible to avail free food grains every month.
In this scheme, the government will be spending over Rs. 440 cr per month.
The ration cards will also entail free treatment under Ayushman Bharat.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said, "Today, we have taken a massive step towards strengthening Nari Shakti in Assam. I joined my mothers and sisters from 126 assembly constituencies to kick start Orunodoi 3.0, to include additional beneficiaries and ensure more than 37 lakh families receive Rs 1250 every month in the state."
He moreover said, "In Orunodoi 3.0, we will be prioritizing destitute women, divyangs, widows, transgenders, and other vulnerable people to provide them with financial security. Families with income below Rs. 2 lakh are eligible to apply and the State government will be spending Rs. 467 crore per month on this scheme".
The Chief Minister moreover said that together with ration cards, Orunodoi 3.0 will form a comprehensive social security net that will cover their nutritional, financial, medical and ancillary needs.
This scheme was a part of the promise to the people of the state on the eve of the Lok Sabha election, as the Chief Minister expressed his happiness to have been in a position to fulfil the promise within 100 days of the election.
Sarma said while he was the Finance Minister of the state, during the budget speech of 2020-21, the scheme Orunodoi was envisaged and designed to lend self-sufficiency, confidence, and self-reliance to the people of the state.
He said that after the unprecedented success of Orunodoi 1.0 and 2.0 which touched the lives of around 24.60 lakh people, the addition of more than 12 lakh beneficiaries would spell wonder to the lives of the people of the state.
Highlighting the fundamental changes the scheme has brought about in the lives of the people, the Chief Minister said that the government's intervention with the help of financial benefits has helped the people to meet the crisis stemming from the unprecedented COVID pandemic and others.
Though in the initial stages, beneficiaries were entitled to Rs 830, at present the financial benefit was raised to Rs 1250 per month, the Chief Minister added.
Chief Minister Sarma stated that a survey during the recent Lok Sabha elections identified 10 lakh families that have yet to benefit from the Orunodoi scheme.
The CM stated that current and former MPs, MLAs, as well as members of Panchayati Raj institutions, Urban Local Bodies, and Autonomous Councils, along with government employees, pensioners, professionals, Anganwadi workers, and ASHA workers would not qualify for Orunodoi.
Additionally, those with four-wheeled vehicles or more than 15 bighas of land would also be excluded, emphasizing the scheme's aim to support the poor and marginalized in both rural and urban areas.
He announced that with the launch of Orunodoi 3.0, the implementation process is proposed to be completed by January 2025, while existing beneficiaries of Orunodoi 1.0 and 2.0 would continue to receive their benefits without interruption.2,31,97,608 beneficiaries receive benefits under the National Food Security Act, and this number is expected to increase to around 2 crore 60 lakhs after the new ration cards are distributed.
Sarma said that the Orunodoi scheme would require an annual budget of Rs 5,604 crore, about 467 crore monthly, marking a historic DBT initiative for the state. This scheme has also inspired women's empowerment programs in other states, such as the Ladli Behna scheme in Madhya Pradesh, the Mahtari Vandana Yojana in Chhattisgarh, and the Gruha Jyothi scheme in Karnataka.
He mentioned that issuing new ration cards would cost the state 441 crore each month, with cardholders entitled to 5 kilograms of free rice monthly.