By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has reiterated the state government’s commitment to eliminating poverty in the state. He called upon the Self-Help Groups to extend their full cooperation in the efforts of the state government in this regard. He assured that no effort would be spared to provide means of livelihood to the poor and to free them from the clutches of moneylenders.
The Chief Minister was addressing a huge convention of Self-Help Groups organised at the Jamboree Ground here on Tuesday. He said that the focus of the state government is on mitigating the sufferings of the poor. The government stands by the poor in their struggle against poverty. It is the poor who needs the government the most and the state government would make it sure their problems are solved.
The Chief Minister said that Madhya Pradesh is rich in forest, mineral, water and human resources and these resources would be exploited to the optimum to eliminate poverty in the state. He said that the minimum wage for workers has been increased from Rs. 69 to Rs. 85 in the state. Now these wages would be increased with price hike. The Chief Minister dwelt at length on the provisions under Mukhya Mantri Mazdoor Suraksha Yojana, schemes for benefit of construction workers and Deen Dayal Upchar Yojana saying that no poor in the state would be allowed to sleep without meal or die in absence of medical treatment.
Chouhan showered a slew of gifts for Self-Help Groups at the convention. He informed about the Self-help Groups Promotion Policey-2007 and Employment Oriented Training Policy-2007 for empowerment of these groups and to implement integrated livelihood programme. He said that 40 lakh BPL, (Below Poverty Line), families would be brought above poverty line in next five years through livelihood programme.
The Chief Minister administered an oath to the members of Self-Help Groups to work with commitment against poverty. He also met the members of these groups and gave a patient hearing to their problems.
The Minister for Rural Development Rustam Singh informed that all the announcements made at the convention of Self-Help Groups held at the Lal Parade Ground in year 2006 have already been fulfilled. He lauded the Chief Minister for providing protection to the Self-Help Groups.
Members of the Self-Help Groups from various districts also expressed their views. Mrs. Shaheen Khan (Khandwa), Mrs. Chandabai Munnalal(Burhanpur), Mrs. Chandadevi (Satna), Dwarka Prasad Verma(Seoni), Miss Papia Sarkar(Panna), Miss Rekha Jain (Damoh), Kaniram (Gadarwara), Mrs. Omvati Verma (Narsinghpur), Mrs. Suraj Bai (Vidisha), Balram Lodhi (Balaghat) and Mrs. Krishna Bhadoria (Bhind) spoke about the positive improvement in their living standard after getting associated with Self-Help Groups. They particularly lauded Mukhya Mantri Kanyadan Yojana, Ladli Laxmi Yojana, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Mazdoor Suraksha Yojana, Gaon Ki Beti Yojana, free distribution of uniforms and cycles to girl students and Deen Dayal Antyodaya Upchar Yojana. ([email protected])