Shillong: Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday promised to launch the “Meghalaya Financial Inclusion for Women Empowerment”, promising a guaranteed income support of Rs 1,000 per month to each woman, if it comes to power in the northeastern state.
Months ahead of the Assembly elections in Meghalaya, Banerjee, speaking at a party workers’ convention in Shillong, said that the proposed scheme would be on the lines of West Bengal’s successful ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme which according to her has already benefited 1.8 crore women in her home state.
She reaffirmed her commitment to the women of Meghalaya through this unique campaign.
“All our flagship schemes are women-centric. Be it Kanyashree, where the girl child gets free education from the school-level to the university, or Swasthya Sathi (Health Insurance), where the cards are registered in the name of the women head of the family,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said.
Coming down heavily against both the BJP and the National People’s Party (NPP) led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, the Trinamool Congress chief said that BJP has been neglecting Meghalaya and the northeast region.
“Why is Meghalaya being run from Guwahati and Delhi?” she questioned.
Claiming that within six months, Trinamool Congress membership strength rose to one lakh, she said that her party has emerged as the most prominent and formidable force in the state, sounding optimistic about a change in governance in Meghalaya in the next year’s assembly polls.
The Trinamool Congress chief said BJP has been implementing ‘Double-Engine Disaster’ in Meghalaya to weaken the essence of unity and harmony.
The West Bengal Chief Minister also handed over cheques of ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the victims killed in Mukroh village in the Assam police firing.
Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, party’s Meghalaya state in-charge Manas Ranjan Bhunia, state president Charles Pyngrope, Opposition leader Mukul Sangma also addressed the gatherings.
The Trinamool Congress supremo during her two-day (Monday-Tuesday) visit virtually launched the election campaign in Meghalaya, which along with Nagaland and Tripura would go to assembly polls in February.
–IANS