Agartala, August 30, 2023: The ‘Raksha Bandhan’ festival was joyously celebrated at the official residence of Chief Minister Professor (Dr.) Manik Saha on Wednesday, in observance of the cherished bonds of friendship and harmony. Sisters hailing from various corners of the state gathered to offer rakhi to Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, accompanied by MLAs Kalyani Roy, Antara Sarkar Deb, and Mina Rani Sarkar.
Chief Minister Dr. Saha conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to the sisters of the state on this auspicious occasion and extended his warm wishes for ‘Raksha Bandhan’.
Members of Tripura Legislative Assembly- Smt. Kalyani Roy, Smt. Antara Sarkar Deb, Sushri Mina Rani Sarkar & Smt. Swapna Majumder tied #Rakhi to me on this auspicious occasion of #RakshaBandhan. pic.twitter.com/4KQRaQUgZc
— Prof.(Dr.) Manik Saha (@DrManikSaha2) August 30, 2023
Speaking to media persons here, the CM Dr Saha highlighted the government’s steadfast commitment to women’s empowerment, commending the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in launching numerous projects geared toward empowering women.
He stated, “The Raja government has consistently championed women’s self-empowerment since its inception.” He emphasized that these efforts include reserving 33 percent of government job seats for women and allocating 50 percent of government market stalls and shopping complexes for women. Additionally, girls are receiving free tuition at general degree colleges, and free bicycles are being distributed to female students in the ninth grade, benefiting approximately 1 lakh students. The government has also initiated the provision of free scooters to meritorious female students who have passed secondary and higher secondary examinations.
Furthermore, Chief Minister Dr. Saha mentioned that the state currently boasts approximately 50,000 self-help groups, the majority of which are operated by women. Financial support through revolving funds has been provided to bolster the economic strength of these groups.
In terms of women’s safety, Chief Minister Dr. Saha underscored that the government is taking swift action in cases of crimes against women across the state, ensuring speedy legal proceedings. CCTV cameras have been strategically installed throughout the city to enhance women’s safety and confidence while navigating its streets.
In a significant announcement, the Chief Minister shared that, on the occasion of the Rakhi Bandhan festival, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reduced the price of LPG cylinders by Rs 200, benefiting customers of the Ujjwala Yojana scheme. Furthermore, the central government has pledged to provide an additional 75 lakh gas connections free of charge under the Ujjwala Yojana initiative, for which Chief Minister Dr. Saha expressed gratitude on behalf of the state government.