March 13, 2025: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced a major initiative aimed at empowering women in the state through financial independence. Under the Chief Minister’s Women Entrepreneurship Scheme, women from self-help groups (SHGs) will receive financial assistance both collectively and individually. The scheme aims to encourage entrepreneurship, ensuring that women have access to financial resources to start or expand their businesses.
Initially, beneficiaries will receive ₹10,000 as financial support. Following this, an additional ₹12,500 will be provided by the government, and another ₹12,500 will be given through banks. In the final phase, eligible women will receive ₹50,000 to strengthen their businesses. The scheme, with a total allocation of ₹3,200 crore, is expected to provide a major boost to women-led enterprises across Assam.
To maintain transparency and accountability, the Chief Minister emphasized that if any member of a self-help group misuses the funds, the entire group will lose its eligibility. The scheme is designed to ensure responsible utilization of financial aid and prevent any irregularities.
A key eligibility criterion for the scheme is that women who own four-wheeled commercial vehicles such as buses or taxis will not qualify. Additionally, the government had earlier stated that mothers of three children would not be eligible. However, an exception has now been made for women from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Moran, and Motok communities if they have four children. Among 36 lakh women in Assam, 29 lakh have been found eligible, and out of these, 26 lakh will be finalized for the scheme. The final list will be announced by March 31.
The scheme will officially be launched in Bihali on April 1, where 23,000 women will receive checks of ₹10,000 each. Alongside financial support, the government will also provide skill development training to beneficiaries, equipping them with the necessary expertise to successfully run their businesses. The training program aims to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of women and help them achieve long-term economic stability.
Furthermore, the wives of third and fourth-grade government employees will also be eligible for benefits under the scheme. The implementation of the initiative will be overseen by village panchayat secretaries, with the senior-most person in the village acting as the president to ensure smooth execution.
The Chief Minister reiterated his government’s commitment to women’s empowerment and financial independence, highlighting that this scheme will enable thousands of women across Assam to become self-reliant and economically secure.