Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday to take part in a women’s empowerment programme transferred Rs 1000 crore to Self Help Groups (SHGs) benefitting around 16 lakh women members in the State.
Modi also transferred the first month’s stipend to Business Correspondent-Sakhis and also money to over one lakh beneficiaries of Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Scheme, a PMO note after the event said. He also laid the foundation stone of over 200 Supplementary Nutrition Manufacturing Units.
Addressing a gathering of women, the Prime Minister praised the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for ensuring security, dignity, and respect to rural poor and girls in the state.
“Schemes like Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana are becoming a great medium of trust for the rural poor and for the girls. Security, dignity, and respect ensured by the double-engine government for the women of UP are unprecedented. The women of Uttar Pradesh have decided that they will not allow the return of earlier circumstances,” Modi said.
Modi said self-help group members are ‘actually national help group’. “I consider the sisters of women self-help groups to be the champions of the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. These Self Help Groups are actually National Help Groups,” he said.
Justifying his government’s decision to bring the legal age of marriage of daughters to 21 years, Modi said the decision was taken keeping in mind educational needs and ensuring equal opportunities for them.
“The daughters also wanted that they should get time to pursue their studies and to get equal opportunities. Therefore, efforts are being made to bring the legal age of marriage to 21 years for daughters. The country is taking this decision for the sake of daughters,” the Prime Minister said. He also said that the biggest beneficiaries of the eradication of mafia raj and lawlessness in UP were ‘the sisters and daughters of UP’.
Earlier, after transferring Rs 1000 crore to the back accounts of SHGs, Modi paid tribute to the doyen of Hindi literature Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi on his death anniversary. He said Prayagraj has been the land of the confluence of Ganga-Yamuna-Saraswati, the symbol of our mother power for thousands of years. Today this pilgrimage city is also witnessing such a wonderful confluence of women-power, he said.
The Prime Minister said the entire country is witnessing the work being done for women’s empowerment in Uttar Pradesh. He said schemes like Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana, under which he transferred crores of rupees to the accounts of more than one lakh beneficiary daughters of the state today, are becoming a great medium of trust for the rural poor and for the girls.
Modi said the security, dignity, and respect ensured by the double-engine government for the women of UP is unprecedented. “The women of Uttar Pradesh have decided that they will not allow the return of earlier circumstances,” he pointed out adding the government had tried to awaken the consciousness of society to prevent sex-selective abortions by Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign.“This has resulted in an increase in the numbers of daughters in many states,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government is focused on immunization of pregnant women, delivery in hospitals, and nutrition during pregnancy. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Rs 5000 is deposited in the bank account of women during pregnancy, so that they can take care of proper diet.
Enlisting steps being taken to enhance the dignity of women, the Prime Minister said, “With the construction of crores of toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission, facility of gas connection under the Ujjwala scheme, and tap water in the house itself, a new convenience is also coming in the lives of sisters.”
“For decades, house and property were considered as the right of men only. The schemes of the government are removing this inequality. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is the biggest example of this. The houses being given under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are being built in the name of women on a priority basis,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister further claimed that the schemes were being run for employment and increasing the income of the family, women are being made equal partners.
“Today, Mudra Yojana is encouraging new women entrepreneurs, even from poor families in villages. Women are also being linked with self-help groups and rural organizations across the country through the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana. I consider the sisters of women self-help groups to be the champions of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat campaign. These self-help groups are actually National Help Groups,” he stressed.
Modi said the double-engine BJP government, is working without any discrimination to empower the future of daughters. He also informed about the important decision regarding the legal age of marriage for girls.
“Earlier, the legal age of marriage for sons was 21 years, but for daughters, it was only 18 years. The daughters also wanted that they should get time to pursue their studies and to get equal opportunities. Therefore, efforts are being made to bring the age of marriage to 21 years for daughters. The country is taking this decision for the sake of daughters,” Modi said.
Referring to the improvement of the law and order situation in the state in recent years, the Prime Minister said the biggest beneficiary of this eradication of mafia raj and lawlessness were the sisters and daughters of UP. He also appreciated Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for bringing the situation under control.
“Today, there is security as well as rights in Uttar Pradesh. Today UP has possibilities as well as business. I have full faith that with the blessings of our mothers and sisters, no one can push this new UP back into the darkness,” PM Modi added.