Uttarakhand News: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has made several big announcements for women on the occasion of Rakshabandhan. Now women in the state will get the facility of free travel in roadways buses from the age of 60 years. With this, 10 pink e-buses will be run for women in Dehradun and the limit of concessional bank loan under Mahila Self-Employment Scheme will be increased from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh.
Free bus travel for women above 60 years of age
At present, senior citizens above 65 years of age in the state get the facility of free travel in roadways buses. The Chief Minister announced that this facility will now be implemented for women from the age of 60 years. The government aims to provide safe and easy public transportation to elderly women.
10 pink e-buses will run in Dehradun
Uttarakhand is to get 137 electric buses under the Prime Minister e-Bus service. Of these, out of 100 buses operating in Dehradun, 10 buses will be dedicated as pink e-buses for women.
The Chief Minister said that later this facility will be extended to other areas of the state in a phased manner.
Now loan up to Rs 2.5 lakh for self-employment
It has also been announced to increase the limit of concessional bank loan available under Mahila Self-Employment Scheme from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh. The Chief Minister said that the government is working towards making women not just employment takers but employment providers.
A provision for interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh has also been made for self-help groups.
Hi-tech toilets will be built for women
It has also been announced to build modern hi-tech toilets for women at major public places, markets and tourist places in the state. In these, along with cleanliness, special attention will be given to privacy, security and essential facilities of women.
Sisters tied Rakhi to CM Dhami in Chakarpur
A large number of women tied Rakhi to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in the Rakshabandhan ceremony organized at Chakarpur Stadium. The Chief Minister said that the safety, respect and self-reliance of women is the priority of the government.
He told that under Nanda Gaura Yojana, assistance of Rs 11 thousand is given on the birth of a girl child and Rs 51 thousand on passing 12th. Apart from this, he also mentioned about arrangements like 181 women's helpline, one stop center and 30 percent horizontal reservation for women in government services.
3.09 lakh women became Lakhpati Didi
According to the Chief Minister, so far 3 lakh 9 thousand women have become Lakhpati Didi in Uttarakhand. Women's products are being made available in the market through the Chief Minister Sashakt Bahana Utsav Yojana. Centers are being set up for this in all the development blocks and it has been decided to set up 13 centers in Dehradun for the sale of products from all the 13 districts of the state. Chief Minister Dhami said that the aim of the government is to provide more opportunities to women to move forward in every field, lead and become economically self-reliant.