00 Lakshmi Sakhi Millet Cart gives new impetus to self-reliance
0 Millet carts and cheques distributed to beneficiaries

Raipur. Describing women's empowerment as the foundation for the state's overall development, Women and Child Development Minister Smt. Laxmi Rajwade said that when women are empowered, families, society, and the entire state become stronger. Addressing the state-level Lakshmi Sakhi Millets Cart distribution program held at her residence in Naya Raipur, she said the state government is continuously working to empower women and integrate them into the mainstream of development.

During the program, Minister Smt. Rajwade distributed Lakshmi Sakhi Millet Carts to women from various self-help groups. Several beneficiaries, including Smt. Shailendra Kurre, Smt. Digeshwari Nishad, Smt. Anita Tandi, Smt. Suman Verma, Smt. Deepali Rajput, Smt. Deepa Soni, Smt. Kamini Bothra, Smt. Subhadra Nirmalkar, Smt. Geeta Sahu, and Smt. Preeti Sahu, were present. The Minister stated that the Millet Cart campaign has emerged as a powerful means of self-employment for women. Smt. Lokeshwari Rasiya and other women from Narharpur village in Kanker district are earning between 2,000 and 3,000 rupees per day and 25,000 and 30,000 rupees per month. She stated that the state government's goal is to make as many women as possible millionaires, ensuring their economic empowerment.

He stated that women's empowerment is not merely the implementation of schemes, but rather a continuous process of developing self-confidence, capabilities, and equal opportunities in women. When women are educated, capable, and self-reliant, both the family and society develop holistically, and the state's economy also strengthens. The Mahila Kosh Yojana and Saksham Yojana, run by the Chhattisgarh government, are playing a crucial role in this direction. Under the Mahila Kosh Yojana, loans have been provided to women in self-help groups since 2003 at an annual interest rate of only 3 percent. Loans of up to ₹2 lakh are provided for the first time, and up to ₹6 lakh for the second time if repaid on time. In 2021, the state government waived old loans worth ₹12.77 crore, making approximately 100,000 women eligible for re-loans.

According to the data, loans worth Rs 10.70 crore were distributed to 10,500 women in the year 2022-23, while the target has been set to distribute loans worth Rs 31 crore to 2500 groups in 2023-24. Similarly, under the Saksham scheme, loans worth Rs 2.63 crore were sanctioned in the year 2022-23 to encourage women for individual self-employment. Due to the positive impact of these schemes, women are earning an income of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month by joining various livelihood activities including papad manufacturing, cosmetics, grocery business and are becoming self-reliant.