Welfare projects must reach BPL families: Union Minister in Hailakandi

Hailakandi, May 28: Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, said that all government welfare projects should reach the people living below the poverty line to elevate their economic condition.

The minister made the remark while reviewing various schemes of the government with officials of different departments at a meeting held at the conference hall of the DC’s office in Hailakandi on Monday night.

Citing that agricultural and forest resources like bamboo, betel nut, paddy, tea gardens etc., are found abundantly in Hailakandi district, the minister asked all the departments to come up with projects for the economic benefits of the people of the district utilising these natural resources.

It can be mentioned here that Hailakandi is one of the 112 aspirational districts of the country listed by the NITI Aayog.

During the meeting, the Health department officials informed that it has been successful in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in the district. The introduction of four mobile medical units to the services of the Health department in the tea gardens of the district has improved the quality of health in the tea garden areas. The Health department further informed that it has treated around 10 lakh patients in a year in the Out Patient Departments (OPDs) of all the hospitals in the district.

Similarly, the Education department informed the Union minister that the upgradation of some schools led to reduced dropout rates in the district. The minister was informed in the meeting that all the schools in the district continue to provide mid-day meals to the students under the Prime Minister’s Poshan Abhiyan.

In the review meeting, the agriculture department informed the minister that around 72,607 farmers out of 86,000 farmers in the district have benefited from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana. The officials of the department also informed that 85 per cent of the farmers in the district have been brought under the crop insurance scheme. A total of 28,413 soil health cards have been issued after testing the soil of the agricultural lands.

The Grameen Livelihood Mission informed Minister Bambhaniya that 62,860 families have been included in 6,063 SHGs. The products produced by 32 SHGs in the district are available in the online market too. Millet cultivation has started on an experimental basis on 105 bighas of land in the district. In addition, cheese production has also started. The Mission officials further informed about the possibility of including locally produced cheese in mid-day meals.

Hailakandi District Commissioner Nisarg Hivare and officials participated in the review meeting.

The Union minister also inspected the paddy storage facility under FCI in the Lalabazar area in the district.