Jharkhand Cabinet approves financial assistance scheme for 45 lakh women

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Cabinet on Friday approved an ambitious financial assistance scheme for 45 lakh women in the state in a bid to empower and make them self-reliant, an official said.

Under the scheme named 'Mukhya Mantri Bahan Beti Maiqui Swabalamban Protsahan Yojana', each woman will receive Rs 1,000 per month, he said, adding that the state government will bear Rs 5,500 crore annually for this initiative.

The approval was granted during the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Champai Soren.

"The Cabinet has approved the ambitious scheme for empowerment of women in the state," Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said.

Women, Child Development, and Social Security department secretary Manoj Kumar said the scheme is applicable to women between 21 and 50 years of age. Income tax payees, government employees, EPF holders, and a few other categories are excluded from the scheme's benefits, he added.

Kumar emphasised that the objective of the scheme is to empower women, make them self-reliant, and ensure better education and health improvement.

"The state government will bear Rs 5,500 crore per annum for the scheme," he said.

The department will soon launch a campaign to generate applications so that the maximum number of women can benefit from it.

In January, the Jharkhand Cabinet had approved a proposal to include all women, tribals, and Dalits above 50 in its old-age pension scheme.

Previously, only those above 60 years received the benefits of the scheme, under which Rs 1,000 is provided to each beneficiary per month.