By L S Herdenia
BHOPAL: Bhartiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh is launching several schemes to win over voters in view of coming elections to the state Vidhan Sabha. In particular it is concentrating on two sections of voters. The two sections are women and adivasis. For women the BJP has launched a unique scheme. Announcing the scheme chief minister Shiv Raj Singh Chouhan said that women in the state will get Rs. One thousand every month. He launched the scheme in the presence of the gathering of one lakh women in Bhopal. Women were brought to Bhopal by various mans of transport.
The chief minister outlined scheme in the course of his hour long speech. Under the scheme which has been named “Ladli Behna Yojna” every woman between the age of 23 and 60 years with an annual family income of under Rs. 2.5 lakh and those owning less than five acre of land and non-tax payers will be eligible for Rs. 1000 per month that would be credited to their bank accounts.
By providing this amount to the sisters, the entire family will also be benefited. Applications for the scheme will be filled from March 25 to April 30. The applications will be scrutinised in the month of May and the first instalment will be deposited in the bank accounts of the eligible women. The women who do not have bank accounts will also be helped to open their accounts.
Chouhan said that special arrangements have been made by the state government to ensure that women do not face any problem in the implementation of the scheme. Mothers, sisters and daughters have always been respected in our country. Daughters and sisters are considered as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati in our culture. Even in taking the names of deities and gods, the names of Lakshmi ji and Sitaji are taken first. That means women come first. With time the circumstances changed and women became victims of discrimination.
“Sisters don’t fall in the trap of any middleman and broker to take advantage of the scheme. In case of any difficulty, information should be given on phone no 181” he said.
In order to beat the BJP state Congress Kamal Nath announced that if his party forms the government again in Madhya Pradesh in the state assembly election scheduled later this year, a financial help of Rs. 18,000 per year would be given to women and it would be largest ‘women empowerment scheme of the world’.
In his tweet addressed to the women across the state, Nath said that the Congress government, which would return to power in Madhya Pradesh some months from now would give them a financial assistance of Rs, 18,000 every year and it would form the largest women empowerment schemer in the world. He said that it’s not just a ‘ghoshna’ (announcement). “Congress has resolved to make MP women self-sufficient and we will fulfill it. Jai Madhya Pradesh Jai Madhya Pradesh Ki Nari” he said.
Chief minister also announced some other schemes to win over women. It may be mentioned here that the BJP government has recently announced new liquor policy. As part of this policy “ahatas” adjoining liquor shops have been closed. “Ahatas” were he space where one can sit, and drink by purchasing liquor bottle and also get snacks. There was demand from Uma Bharti to effect some changes in liquor policy in order to lessen the incidents of drunkenness. Abolition of ahatas was one such demand. But there is a section of people who are opposed to the abolition of ahatas. They fear that with the abolition of ahatas people will drink at any place which can be a temple or a mosque. “The ahatas adjoining the liquor shops have been closed. Taking the next step towards women empowerment ‘ladli Behna Sena’ will also be formed for the protection of women”, Chouhan announced. E scooty will be made available to the girl child who comes first in the government school in Class 12th exam he said.
Chouhan released the logo, theme song and brochure of “Ladli Behna Yojana” by pressing the button of remote and launched a short film made on the application process of the scheme. Chouhan himself filled the application of Kavita to apprise women on the process of applying in the scheme. (IPA Service)
