Jharkhand CM Soren distributes first instalment of Rs 2500 under Maiya Samman Yojana

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], January 6 : Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday distributed the first increased instalment of Rs 2500 to eligible women under 'Maiya Samman Yojana' in a program organised in at Khoja Toli Army Training Ground in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi.
During the Jharkhand Assembly election, Hemant Soren had promised to increase the amount from Rs 1000 to Rs 2500 to each beneficiary. The increased amount will benefit around 56 lakhs women of the state.
CM Hemant Soren, addressing the public, emphasised that this step is taken to "empower women." He also added that today there's a "competition" in the country to empower women, referring to similar schemes across country.
"It is strange that when half of the population of the country is deprived of development, how can the country develop? Today women work shoulder to shoulder with men but we thought how women can develop. Women and men are like two bulls of the house and both need development. We took steps towards empowering women. Today, there is a competition in the country as to who can empower women in their state. Thank you for the blessings and respect you have given," Hemant Soren said.
Reiterating his promise to make women self-reliant, Soren said, "Through this step, we have given the responsibility of development of this state to you people. Today you will move ahead freely to realize your dreams."
Replying to opponent criticism, Soren said that he took the first step of giving Rs. 2500 to women after winning the election.
"When we had promised to increase the salary from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2500, our opponents used to make fun of us. We had made the promise before the elections and after the elections were over, we took the first step of giving Rs. 2500 to women," Soren said.
"Many political parties make many kinds of promises. We have made electricity free for you, the government is taking the responsibility of your children's education," he added.
Increasing the amount of Maiya Samman Yojana to Rs 2500 was the major part of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's manifesto in the Assembly election and played a major part in helping JMM to steer INDIA bloc to victory with 56 seats out of the 81.
The JMM won 34 seats, while its allies secured 22 seats. Among the allies, the Congress won 16 seats, the RJD won four, and the CPI-ML won two seats. The BJP-led NDA won only 24 seats in Jharkhand. The BJP secured 21 seats, while its allies the AJSU party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and JD-U won one seat each. Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha won a seat with its chief, Jairam Kumar Mahato, emerging victorious in the Dumri constituency.