Barpeta: State Minister for Panchayat and Rural Development, Food and Civil Supplies, and Public Health Engineering Department Ranjeet Kumar Dass distributed checks to women borrowers under Category I of Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) in Barpeta district today.

Speaking as the chief guest at a function organized by the district administration at Chayaram Girls' High School, playground, Dass, who is also the Guardian Minister of the district, said that the scheme is a remarkable step taken by the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led State Government to make the women borrower's loan- free. "The State government 3 - d d led by Himanta Biswa Sarma has really eased the plight of the women borrowers n who took loans for their financial needs. 1- The scheme is aimed at making them loan-free and to financially empower w them," he said and added that govern it meant will do everything for the uplift of the womenfolk.

He said that the BJP-led Government has kept its poll promise to extend financial support to those women borrowers who took loans from financial institutions.

The Minister informed that the Government has held discussions with 38 financial institutions that extended loans to women and signed MoUs with them. For this, the State government will have to bear a burden of Rs 12,000 crore.

Deputy Commissioner, Barpeta, Tej Prasad Bhusal, in his welcome address, said that out of the total 44,263 beneficiaries in the district, 6000 under Category I were handed over the cheques in today's function. Others will get their checks from the respective Block Development Office shortly.

The vice-chairman of Assam Finance Corporation Anil Das, noted writer and educationist Aksay Kumar Mishra, among others, were present on the occasion as distinguished guests.

District Development Commissioner Diganta Das offered the vote of thanks. At the beginning, the guests offered floral tributes at the portrait of 'Melody Queen' Lata Mangeshkar.

Our Correspondent from Hailakan- di adds: Six thousand cheques, out of a total of 13,776, were distributed among

cial support to those women borrowers women borrowers under the Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme at a function today at Netaji Sub has Chandra Bose stadium in Hailakandi by the State Forest Minister Parimal Su

Speaking as the chief guest at the function organized by the district administration, Suklabaidya, who is also the Guardian Minister of Hailakandi district, said that the laudable initiative of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led State Government has brought succour to many women borrowers who took loans from different financial institutions.

The Minister said that the Government had to negotiate with 38 financial institutions and banks leading to signing of MoUs.

Suklabaidya said that the scheme will not only make the women borrowers loan-free but also empower them financially

The function was attended by local MLA, Zakir Hussain Laskar, Deputy Commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha, Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Upadhyay, District BJP President, Swapan Bhattacharjee, among others.