Dehradun. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the Saras Fair-2024 organized at Rangers Ground on Friday evening. During this, the Chief Minister said that the products made by women in Saras Mela are a symbol of hard work and innovation of mother power. Women are earning their livelihood through their hard work and local products.
During this, the Chief Minister (CM Dhami) also visited the stalls set up by self-help groups across the state. On this occasion, the Chief Minister talked to the women and took information about their products. The Chief Minister appreciated the Manduve cake made by women. He purchased the lamp manufactured by the self-help group and also made the payment through online medium.
Chief Minister (CM Dhami) said that Saras Mela is also an effort to showcase the rich cultural tradition, skills and entrepreneurship of our rural areas. Through these fairs we get a platform to showcase local products. We are also trying to connect rural artisans, women self-help groups, handicraftsmen, rural entrepreneurs with agricultural products and rural skills to national and international markets.
Chief Minister (CM Dhami) said that the Vocal for Local campaign was started by Prime Minister Modi to empower our local products. This fair is also an important link in the direction of realizing this campaign. He said that the livelihood fairs are also proving to be true in realizing Prime Minister Modi’s mantra of self-reliant India.
Chief Minister (CM Dhami) said that the state government is working dedicatedly for their upliftment considering mother power as supreme. Under the Lakhpati Didi scheme, more than one lakh women of the state have achieved the honor of becoming millionaires. Our resolution is to create 1.5 lakh Lakhpati Didis by the year 2025. He said that even in the challenging times of Covid-19, the government had tried to ensure the upliftment and empowerment of women by providing financial assistance of more than Rs 84 crore under the Chief Minister Mahila Self-Help Group Scheme.
Chief Minister (CM Dhami) said that the state government also gave a rebate of Rs 24 crore as interest reimbursement to more than 30 thousand groups. One-time grant of approximately Rs 8 crore provided to 159 women CLFs. Financial assistance of more than Rs 51 crore has also been provided for the self-reliance of 43 thousand active groups. Under the Chief Minister Sashakt Bahana Utsav Yojana, women did business worth more than Rs 3 crore through about one and a half thousand stalls in 95 blocks. Under the Rural Livelihood Mission in the state, more than 05 lakh members have joined more than 67 thousand self-help groups and more than 07 thousand village organizations and 471 cluster level organizations have also been formed.
During the conversation with the Chief Minister (CM Dhami), Swati Negi from Stree Shakti Self Help Group told that in 2019, she along with 20 women took training through the Growth Center and started making decorative garlands to be used in Diwali. He told that their stalls are set up everywhere from the secretariat to the village level on behalf of the state government. He told that each woman of the group earns Rs 10 to 12 thousand a month.
Expressing her gratitude to the Chief Minister, Didi Komal, the lakhpati of Unnati Self Help Group, said that the Rural Development Department and other departments help her at every level. He said that Lakhpati Didi Yojana has increased their respect in the society. She is also working with herself by providing employment to other women. Didi Farzana Khan, millionaire of Dhara self-help group, told that she works with women to make porridge. There is huge demand for their products in the market. Each woman in her group earns around Rs 12000.
On the demand of millionaire Didi Farzana, the Chief Minister (CM Dhami) gave instructions to the Commissioner Rural Development:
Millionaire Didi Farzana Khan, during the talks with the Chief Minister (CM Dhami), requested to open outlets at every block level. After which the Chief Minister instructed Commissioner Rural Development Dhiraj Garbyal to conduct tests to open outlets at every possible place in every district. The Chief Minister said that I promise my sisters that they will be provided all possible help.
On this occasion, Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal, MLA Khajan Das, MLA Umesh Sharma Kau, Vishwas Dabur, Jot Singh Bisht, Commissioner Rural Development Dhiraj Garbyal, District Officer Dehradun Savin Bansal and others were present.
