Assam: CM Launches Ujjwala Scheme to enable Women to Cook in Healthy Environment

In a bid to enable underprivileged women to lead a dignified life and cook in a healthy environment, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana scheme.

The Scheme aims to cover 30,000 families in the Kamrup Metro district of the state and to mark the launch 10 beneficiary families were issued LPG connections on Tuesday.

All families below the poverty line are entitled to get access to Ujjwala Scheme. According to him, it is a great step towards clean fuel, clean environment and disease free health. - Sanowal

Talking about how the scheme aims to benefit women, Sanowal told ET, "Most poor families are used to conventional modes of cooking using hazardous firewood, which create unhealthy surrounding, especially for children and women." He further added that now all the families below the poverty line are entitled to get access to Ujjwala Scheme. According to him, it is a great step towards clean fuel, clean environment and disease free health.

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The state government has been relentlessly pursuing the agenda of development of all sections of the society and particularly the women of the underprivileged section and the act of giving a financial grant to one lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) would be a major thrust for women empowerment in rural areas, he said.

Besides elevating the status of women, Sanowal also aims to provide relief materials and stepped up rescue operations to help people grappling with floods in the state.

It is heartening to see state governments devising ways to empower its female population. Recently, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scheme titled the ‘Mukhbir Yojana’ to curb the menace of female foeticide and improve the sex ratio of the state.

In March this year, The Aam Aadmi Party government announced that it will reduce taxes on sanitary napkins from 12.5 per cent to 5 per cent. Sanitary napkins which cost less than Rs 20 were to be made tax-free.

The Telangana government was also in the news for its policy of giving some cash incentives to the pregnant women of the state.

Such initiatives ignite a ray of hope that the future of Indian women is in the right hands.

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