GUWAHATI: In a bid to lure women voters ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Assam government has orchestrated the participation of over 5,000 “lakhpati” baidews (elder sisters) in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally in Guwahati today.
The move seeks to highlight the empowerment of women under the central scheme initiated last year.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, unveiling details of Modi’s two-day visit to Guwahati, including a mega public meeting at Khanapara ground on Sunday, shared the state’s efforts to ensure the presence of 5,000 lakhpati baideos at the rally, expected to attract over a lakh attendees.
“We have requested the rural development department to facilitate the participation of 5,000 lakhpati baideos in the meeting as government delegates,” Sarma had stated on February 2.
Sarma highlighted that out of Assam’s 40 lakh self-help group (SHG) members, six lakh have already achieved the lakhpati status.
The emphasis on involving lakhpati didis at Modi’s rally aims to underscore the benefits extended to women through the central scheme, especially with the Lok Sabha polls on the horizon.
The announcement to expand the number of lakhpati baidews from two crore to three crore was a notable aspect of the interim budget revealed by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.
The strategic outreach to rural women was fortified by the state government’s 2021 pre-election announcement of a waiver for microfinance loans taken by SHG women members, tipping the scales in favour of the BJP alliance.
In August of the previous year, Modi unveiled an empowerment scheme for rural women, encouraging them to launch micro-business ventures, enabling each woman to earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually through various endeavours such as weaving, tailoring, plumbing, LED bulb-making, drone operation, or repair.
“The decision to waive micro-finance loans before the 2021 polls in Assam proved to be a game-changer. Similarly, highlighting the achievements of lakhpati baideos underscores the BJP’s efforts to financially empower women nationwide,” a national daily quoted a noted BJP member.
