Jaipur, May 16 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has placed women empowerment, farmer welfare, youth employment and rural development at the centre of governance, adding that the empowerment of these sections is essential for the development of both the state and the nation.

Addressing the ‘Village Development Chaupal’ programme at Thikariya village in Bagru, the Chief Minister said several flagship schemes launched by the Prime Minister had strengthened women economically and socially across the country.

He said the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign had improved the gender ratio and contributed to social transformation, while initiatives such as household toilets, the Ujjwala scheme, tap water connectivity and Jan Dhan bank accounts had enhanced dignity, security and financial inclusion for women.

In line with the Prime Minister’s appeal for fuel conservation, Sharma travelled from the Chief Minister’s residence to Thikariya village in an electric bus along with senior administrative and police officials.

The move was seen as a message promoting green mobility, clean transportation and energy conservation.

The Chief Minister said the state government had decided to temporarily postpone the proposed Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM-2026) in view of prevailing global circumstances and the call for fuel conservation.

“Unnecessary fuel consumption should be avoided. People should adopt shared transport and public transportation because fuel conservation is directly linked to economic savings,” he said.

Highlighting measures for farmers, Sharma said the Central government provides Rs 6,000 annually under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, while the Rajasthan government contributes an additional Rs 3,000, taking the total assistance to Rs 9,000.

He said the government is strengthening mandis, warehouses and processing units linked to local produce to improve farmers’ incomes and encourage modern and organic farming practices.

The Chief Minister added that major water infrastructure projects, including the Ramjal Setu Link Project, Yamuna Water Agreement, Indira Gandhi Canal Project, Ganganahar works and dam-related initiatives, are being accelerated to address water scarcity across the state.

He further said farmers in 26 districts are now receiving electricity during daytime hours following improvements in power generation and distribution systems.

Emphasising the importance of animal husbandry alongside agriculture, Sharma said the state government has launched the Gopal Credit Card Scheme, under which livestock rearers are being provided interest-free loans of up to Rs 1.5 lakh.

He added that the dairy and cooperative sectors are being strengthened through expansion of milk collection and processing infrastructure, while nearly 10 lakh new members have been added to cooperative institutions.

Referring to employment generation, the Chief Minister said investment proposals signed during the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit are now being implemented on the ground, creating new opportunities for the youth.

He said more than 1.25 lakh appointment letters for government jobs have already been distributed, recruitment is underway for another 1.35 lakh posts, and a recruitment calendar for an additional 1.25 lakh vacancies has also been released.

The Chief Minister accused the previous government of damaging the aspirations of young people through paper leak incidents and said the present government has taken strict action against such practices.

Sharma also highlighted women-focused initiatives, including the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam providing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures, the Ma Voucher Scheme offering free sonography services for pregnant women, and the distribution of bicycles and scooters to girls.

He said under the Rajivika initiative, nearly 22 lakh women in Rajasthan have received training, while around 17.5 lakh women have become financially self-reliant as “Lakhpati Didis”.

During the programme, a Rajivika beneficiary shared her experience, stating that the initiative had helped her become economically empowered and independent.

–IANS

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