RAIPUR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a financial assistance scheme of the Chhattisgarh government for landless labourers of rural areas with around 3.55 lakh beneficiaries instantly receiving Rs 2,000 each in their bank accounts as the first installment under the plan.
Gandhi, during his day-long visit to the state, launched 'Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumiheen Krishi Mazdoor Nyay Yojana' at a function organised in Science College Ground in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur.
The Lok Sabha MP also launched 'Rajiv Yuva Mitan Club' scheme' at the function and distributed financial assistance of Rs 25,000 to its beneficiaries.
On the occasion, Gandhi laid the foundation stones of a memorial with an eternal flame to be built here at the 4th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force for soldiers and security personnel martyred in the line of duty as well as of 'Gandhi Sevagram' ashram in Nava Raipur, the upcoming capital city of the state.
"It is a happy coincidence as on this day 16 years ago the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme was started. And today the 'Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumiheen Krishi Mazdoor Nyay Yojana' is being launched in Chhattisgarh," said Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel while addressing the program.
Under the 'Rajiv Gandhi Bhoomihin Krishi Majdoor Nyay Yojana', registered labourers in rural areas who do not possess agricultural land will be given financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per year in three installments. The first installment of Rs 2,000 was disbursed to beneficiaries at the function.
Nearly 3.55 lakh landless families of labourers, barbers, blacksmiths, priests, forest produce collectors and shepherds, among others, will benefit from the first-of-its-kind scheme in the country for which the state government had made a provision of Rs 200 crore in the budget for the financial year 2021-22.
The Rajiv Yuva Mitan Club scheme is aimed at connecting young people of the state with creative works, developing leadership skills, and making them aware of their social responsibilities.
Under the scheme, 13,269 clubs will be formed in panchayats and urban civic bodies. People in the age group of 15 to 40 years will be part of these clubs. These clubs will get aid of Rs 1 lakh per year in four installments for various activities.
Meanwhile, family members of Chief Minister Baghel met Gandhi in a hotel here before he concluded his day-long visit to the state capital. Baghel tweeted pictures of Gandhi with his family members and wrote, "there were two occasions and one was our special guest. One (occasion) is our wedding anniversary and the other one is preparation for our son's marriage. Thank Your@RahulGandhi ji."
Baghel and his wife Mukteshwari celebrated their 40th marriage anniversary on Thursday. The chief minister's son Chaitanya is scheduled to get married on February 6. In one of the pictures posted by the CM, Chaitanya and his fiancée Khyati are seen with Gandhi.