The Chhattisgarh government has taken a significant step, fulfilling another guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The initiative to reassign the ready-to-eat production work to women’s self-help groups has commenced, starting in the Raigarh district. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai distributed contract letters to 10 women’s self-help groups for the production and distribution of ready-to-eat food at an event in Raigarh.
Present at the occasion were Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary, Raigarh MP Radheshyam Rathia, Rajya Sabha MP Devendra Pratap Singh, MLA Purandar Mishra, Zila Panchayat President Shikha Ravindra Gabel, Mayor Jivardhan Chauhan, and Zila Panchayat member Sushma Khalkho.
As a pilot project, this initiative will begin in six districts. Chief Minister Sai emphasized that the state government has decided to entrust the task of producing and distributing supplementary nutrition (ready-to-eat) for Anganwadi centers to women’s self-help groups. Raigarh is the first district to launch this effort, with 10 groups receiving contract letters.
The Chief Minister stated that these groups will now provide nutritious food to children in Anganwadis and will also increase their income through this work, thereby empowering them economically. This scheme is a significant step towards women’s self-employment and social and economic empowerment. It will also play a crucial role in improving the state’s nutrition levels by providing nutritious food to children.
The Chief Minister highlighted that most of the guarantees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been implemented in the past one and a half years. Examples include the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, procurement of paddy at ₹3100 per quintal, distribution of arrears bonus for two years, financial assistance of ₹1000 per month to women under the Mahtari Vandan Yojana, an increase in tendu leaf collection rates to ₹5500 per standard bag, and the re-initiation of the Charan Paduka scheme.
Additionally, the Ramlala Darshan Yojana and the pilgrimage scheme are providing residents with the benefit of visiting religious sites.
Furthermore, the launch of Atal Digital Seva Kendras aims to provide banking services to people in rural areas within their villages. So far, such service centers have been established in 1,460 panchayats in the state, enabling thousands of mothers and sisters to benefit from simple, secure, and accessible banking services. In the coming time, the remaining panchayats will also be connected to this facility.
Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary mentioned that the state government is continuously working to make women self-reliant. In line with the goal of creating 3 crore Lakhpati Didis across the country, the Chhattisgarh government is working systematically. The ready-to-eat scheme is being initiated in this direction, with six districts included in the first phase.
Women’s groups have been selected for ready-to-eat distribution in Anganwadi centers under the Raigarh Urban, Raigarh Rural, Pusaur, Kharsia, Gharghoda, Tamnar, Lailunga, Mukdega, Dharamjaigarh, and Kapu projects of Raigarh district.
