BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to womens empowerment and the preservation of the state’s cultural heritage.
Addressing the state-level Habishyali congregation in Puri, Majhi said the Kartika Brata (widows observing month-long religious vow) is not merely a religious observance but also a symbol of women’s patience, sacrifice and devotion.
Describing the observance as a unique confluence of spiritual purification, sacrifice, dedication and devotion, he said the government had made arrangements for women devotees to observe the rituals in a safe and comfortable environment unlike in the past when many had to stay in mutts and dharmashalas under difficult conditions.
This year, accommodation has been arranged at Brundabati Niwas, the Railway Tourist Complex and Mochi Sahi Kalyan Mandap. The facilities include Mahaprasad, evening devotional programmes and free kits containing sarees, prayer beads, religious books, uttariyas and dry offerings. The government has earmarked more than `3.30 crore for the arrangements.
The chief minister said more than one crore women were receiving `10,000 annually under the Subhadra scheme while nearly 27 lakh women had become financially self-reliant under the Lakhpati Didi initiative. Around 40 per cent of the state budget, amounting to over `1.22 lakh crore had been earmarked for women’s development and welfare, he said.
Majhi also highlighted the Sri Jagannath Darshan scheme under which senior citizens are brought to Puri in air-conditioned buses for darshan and Mahaprasad. Eligible persons above 60 years applying under the Madhubabu Pension Yojana’s saturation programme will receive social security pensions after completing their Kartika Brata, he added.
Around 2,658 women from 29 districts have arrived in the pilgrim town to observe the month-long Kartika Brata. Puri MP Sambit Patra, Brahmagiri MLA Upasana Mohapatra and Pipili MLA Ashrit Pattnaik attended the programme.
