Expansion of Mahila Kosh Schemes Necessary to Make Women Economically Self-Reliant: Minister Laxmi Rajwade

Raipur, March 2026 : Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Minister Mrs. Laxmi Rajwade said that there are immense opportunities for employment and self-employment in Chhattisgarh, and the schemes of the Mahila Kosh are playing an important role in making women economically self-reliant. She directed officials to spread information about these schemes to as many needy women as possible through camps and awareness programmes so that they can benefit from them and become self-reliant.

Minister Mrs. Rajwade was chairing the meeting of the Governing Board and General Body of the Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh at the Secretariat located in Atal Nagar, Nava Raipur. During the meeting, the progress of various schemes of the Mahila Kosh was reviewed and important issues were discussed.

In the meeting, information was given regarding the post-facto approval and achievements of the credit plan under which loans worth ₹30 crore were distributed to 1,500 women self-help groups under the Loan Scheme during the financial year 2024–25. Under the Saksham Scheme, loans worth ₹14 crore were distributed to 1,000 eligible women. Discussion was also held on the targets and achievements of the Saksham Scheme, Loan Scheme, and Swavalamban Scheme.

It was informed in the meeting that currently there is a provision to provide a maximum loan of ₹6 lakh to women self-help groups for the second time. Similarly, under the Saksham Scheme, women are provided loans of up to ₹2 lakh. Discussions were also held on making necessary amendments to these provisions as per requirement.

Information was also given that as of September 2025, a total amount of ₹8,02,843 had been deposited as interest in the districts. It was proposed that this amount could be used for the development of software for the Mahila Kosh. The meeting also discussed the proposal to extend benefits of the Saksham Scheme to working Anganwadi workers and helpers based on eligibility, and to revise the age limit of women beneficiaries in the scheme to 25 to 50 years.

Director of the Women and Child Development Department, Mrs. Shammi Abidi, informed that the Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh has been established with the objective of economically and socially empowering women. Under this, loans are being provided to women at a simple annual interest rate of only 3 percent, enabling them to start self-employment and small businesses and become economically empowered.

Representatives from the departments of Women and Child Development, Commerce and Industry, Tribal and Scheduled Caste Development, Social Welfare, Panchayat and Rural Development, Village Industries, Agriculture, Urban Administration, Forest, and Skill Development and Technical Education were present at the meeting. Representatives from Nehru Yuva Kendra, NABARD, Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank, State Bank of India, and UNICEF also attended the meeting.