Gangtok, Aug 10 (PTI) Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Sunday handed cheques of Rs 20,000 each to 32,000 non-working women, who are mothers, as part of a state-run scheme.
All unemployed women,
who are mothers, will get Rs 40,000 per year under the Aama Sashaktikaran Yojana, and the CM disbursed the first instalment of it at a function held in Rangpo.
The Sikkim government observed the day as Amma Samman Diwas to mark the eighth anniversary of Tamang's release from jail after being convicted in a corruption case.
"I am deeply moved and overwhelmed with emotion by the warmth and love showered upon me and my beloved mother during the celebration of 8th Jan UnMukti Diwas and the very 1st Aama Samman Diwas at Rangpo, today," he said in a Facebook post.
"To be welcomed with such open hearts by my people, my extended family, is a feeling beyond words. Your love, your blessings, and your support mean more to us than you can ever imagine. From the depths of my heart, thank you," he added.
The non-working mothers who have been left out will be gradually enrolled in the scheme, officials said.
Tamang has often expressed concern over the declining fertility rate of the country's least populous state, and had earlier announced other benefits to encourage people to have more children.
The CM's mother Dhan Maya Tamang was also present at the function in Rangpo.
Addressing the function, he recounted his memories in jail, claiming that he was "falsely implicated" in the case by the previous regime.
"My mother, too, was acutely distressed at my imprisonment, which is quite understandable," he said.
Tamang also announced that 'Nari Adalats' will be set up under the Women, Child, Senior Citizen and Divyanjan Department.
"The Nari Adalat is a community-based forum run by women to provide accessible and informal justice, especially in rural and semi-urban areas of Sikkim," he said, adding that it is part of the 'Sambal' sub-scheme under Mission Shakti, a programme of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
"The idea behind Nari Adalat is to empower women to address disputes and social issues that directly affect them, without having to depend entirely on the formal court system," he said. PTI KDK SOM
