Jharkhand CM launches 'Maiyan Samman Yojana', transfers Rs 1,415 cr to over 56 lakh women

New Delhi: Fulfilling a poll promise, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday launched the enhanced 'Maiyan Samman Yojana' at a function in Namkum by transferring assistance for two months totalling Rs 5,000 each to the accounts of over 56.61 lakh women beneficiaries.

At the function, Soren transferred the financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1,415.44 crore to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. "We are ready to touch new heights. The state, which underwent exploitation for decades, is ready for a new flight," Soren said at the function.

The event was initially scheduled for December last year but had to be postponed owing to national mourning owing to the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The scheme was initially launched in August last year providing Rs 1,000 to women of 18-50 years numbering 56 lakhs. During the election campaign, Soren-led JMM had promised to increase the amount to Rs 2,500 per month.

In a statement on Sunday, the Chief Minister has said it is a "bold step", as it will be of help to women, who were women bearing the disproportionate burden of debt-induced poverty. Through Maiyan Samman, he said they were writing a new chapter in the struggle for financial liberation while specifically targeting women's economic independence.

Emphasising that the scheme's universal nature stands is its “cornerstone strength”, he said, the covering of all women in the specified age group, regardless of economic status, will help in eliminating the exclusion errors that have historically plagued targeted welfare programmes.

“This universality ensures dignity in assistance and removes the stigma often associated with government aid. The direct transfer of Rs2,500 monthly, Rs 30,000 annually to women in a household represents a transformative boost to household income, particularly in rural areas where women's financial autonomy has traditionally been severely limited,” he said.

"The timing of 'Maiyan Samman' is particularly crucial in our post-pandemic context. The COVID-19's economic impact has been notably gendered, with women bearing a disproportionate burden of job losses and reduced income opportunities. Beyond providing a crucial safety net, the scheme stimulates local economies through increased consumer spending. When women have purchasing power, local markets thrive, creating a virtuous cycle of economic growth," he added.