Bhubaneswar: City mayor Sulochana Das and BJP’s Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh on Wednesday engaged in a sharp exchange of words over the Subhadra Yojana‘s effectiveness during a rally here.
Raising questions about the effectiveness of the scheme, Das said the amount of Rs 5,000 in one instalment was too little to empower women. In response, Singh said what the BJD govt failed to do in 24 years, the BJP did in six months.
“Women receive Rs 10,000 in two instalments in a year under the SubhadrasScheme, whereas the previous BJD govt provided interest-free loans ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 15 lakh to women, helping them to set up businesses,” Das said, adding, “How far can Rs 5,000 empower a woman in these times? Is this amount enough to make them financially independent?”
Singh said the Subhadra scheme has enabled women from financially weaker sections to gain a sense of security and feel empowered. “BJD followed a policy of using women as vote bank, and now they are fearing that they are losing their vote bank. What they failed to do in 24 years, we have done in such a short time,” Singh said.
The Subhadra Rally was held from Kalinga Studio Square to Khandagiri with the aim of creating awareness about the scheme.