The BJP-led NDA is committed and devoted to the emancipation and empowerment of women, including ‘Jeevika Didis’, and the newly elected government in Bihar will enhance the monetary support under the Rozgar Yojana from Rs 10,000 to Rs 2 lakh, said senior BJP leader Smriti Irani on Tuesday.
Addressing a press meet, the former Union Minister said that 1.30 crore sisters in Bihar have already received Rs 10,000 in their bank accounts, and soon this amount will be enhanced to Rs 2 lakh to support their entrepreneurial ventures.
Highlighting the NDA govt’s women-centric schemes in the poll-bound state, she informed, “Under Ujjawala Yojana, 1.16 crore women in Bihar have got LPG cylinders, making their kitchens smoke-free. Over 11 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have been started under the Jeevika programme to make them self-reliant and curb their dependency on someone else.”
She added that the BJP-led NDA government, if elected to power, will intensify this drive to nurture a self-reliant environment in Bihar and equip over one crore sisters with additional monetary support of Rs 2 lakh.
Further, spotlighting NDA’s resolve to support women’s rise to the legislature, she said that it is the NDA government which brought historic legislation for 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, enabling them to become public leaders and lawmakers.
She said it was "Mahathugbandhan" and accused it of taking the people, particularly women of the state, for a ride. When questioned about Tejashwi’s latest promise of Rs 30,000 under Maai Bahin Yojana, she said this showed desperation and frustration within the RJD camp.
“Their promise is an attempt to underestimate and undermine women's power. The grand alliance is desperate to drum up support in the elections and hence is resorting to such tactics,” she said. She added that while the NDA government is providing direct financial support to women, Opposition leaders, particularly from the RJD, are attempting to block this women's empowerment.
“This is a matter of great concern that on one side, NDA is facilitating women's empowerment by financially empowering them, but the corrupt alliance is trying to block this empowerment,” she said, referring to RJD’s proposal to the Election Commission of India to stop disbursal of funds under the Rozgar Yojana.
Under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, tranches of Rs 10,000 are being transferred into the accounts of ‘Jeevika Didis’ to help realise their entrepreneurial spirit. Notably, more than 1.1 crore women beneficiaries have been selected for this scheme in Bihar. The scheme is implemented by the Rural Development Department and focuses on promoting entrepreneurship and self-employment among women.