Self-help groups to be given Rs 1,400 crore for women empowerment: CM Shivraj

Rajgarh (Madhya Pradesh) [India], November 1 : The self-help groups (SHG) working for women empowerment in Madhya Pradesh will be provided assistance of Rs 1,400 crore this year, said Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday.
The Chief Minister was speaking at a rally in Biaora Vidhan Sabha constituency of Rajgarh district ahead of by-polls.
"The self-help groups will be given Rs 1,400 crore for women empowerment this year so that their work can go smoothly," Chouhan said.
He further attacked former Chief Minister Kamal Nath-led government for mismanagement in the state during its rule.
"I had thought that Congress would work after returning to power after 15 years in the state. But they failed on every count, everywhere I went people would come to me telling Mama (Chouhan) makes the government topple. If I wanted I would not have let their government form, they had just a few seats more. The independent MLAs came to us offering their support but we declined the offer," Chouhan said.
Comparing the progress made by his government in 15 years in the state, he said: "Under former Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's rule, the state budget was Rs 21,000 crore. Mama increased it to more than Rs 2 lakh crore. The GDP of your government was Rs 98,000 crore, I increased it to Rs 7,07,000 crore. Under your government, Digvijaya in 2003, per capita income was Rs 1,500, Mama increased it to Rs 80,000."
By-elections are to be held on November 3 to fill 28 vacant seats in Madhya Pradesh Assembly.