Naveen announces sops for women, girls

Nuapada: Eying to retain power in Odisha, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced sops for women and girls to gain votes.

Attending a public meeting at Komna in Nuapada district for the upcoming elections 2019, Patnaik stressed on women empowerment for a new Odisha while explaining the meaning of double engine in true sense.

He promised to increase Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) assistance amount by Rs 3 lakh for women and marriage assistance for poor girls.

“We will hike the assistance amount under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 7 lakh for women, will provide work guarantee upto Rs 5,000 crore under Mission Shakti and Rs 5 lakh loan at zero % interest for Self Help Groups, if the party comes to power in the State,” said Patnaik.

“The BJD government will provide free education to all the girls from KG to higher education including medical, engineering and all types of educational courses and financial assistance of Rs 25,000 for marriage of poor girls,” he said.

Promising more for the Self Help Groups women, he said that the Mission Shakti workers will be engaged in paddy procurement, Ashram school management, hospital management and supply of school uniforms to benefit them upto Rs 500 crore per year under the programme, if the party forms government in the State.