Women self-help groups once again got the work of manufacturing ready-to-eat food: Another guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled

Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai handed over the contract letters to 10 women self-help groups in Raigarh for the manufacture and distribution of ready-to-eat

This initiative will strengthen the economic prosperity of women along with the nutrition campaign for children: Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai

Raipur 10 July 2025: The Chhattisgarh government, fulfilling another guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has started the initiative of implementing the decision to hand over the work of ready-to-eat manufacturing to women self-help groups again from Raigarh district today. Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai handed over the contract letters for the manufacture and distribution of ready-to-eat to 10 women self-help groups in a program organized in Raigarh. Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary, Raigarh MP Radheshyam Rathia, Rajya Sabha MP Devendra Pratap Singh, MLA Purandar Mishra, District Panchayat President Smt. Shikha Ravindra Gabel, Mayor Jeevdhan Chauhan and District Panchayat Member Smt. Sushma Khalkho were present on this occasion.

Chief Minister Sai said that the state government has decided to hand over the work of manufacturing and distribution of supplementary nutrition (Ready to Eat) for Anganwadi centers to women self-help groups. This work will be started as a pilot project in 6 districts in the initial phase. Raigarh has become the first district of this initiative, where contract letters have been distributed to 10 women self-help groups. The Chief Minister said that the sisters of these groups will now provide nutritious food to the Anganwadi children as well as increase their income from this work, which will make them economically empowered. This scheme is a meaningful initiative towards self-employment as well as social and economic empowerment of women. Also, this scheme will play an important role in improving the nutrition level of the state by providing nutritious food to the children.

Chief Minister Sai said in his address that in the last one and a half year tenure, most of the works of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee have been implemented on the ground. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, paddy purchase at the rate of Rs 3100 per quintal, distribution of bonus due for two years, assistance of Rs 1000 per month to women under Mahtari Vandan Yojana, increase in tendu leaf collection rate by Rs 5500 per standard sack and re-launch of Charan Paduka Yojana are strong examples of this. Also, the people of the state are being given the benefit of visiting religious places through Ramlala Darshan Yojana and Tirth Yatra Yojana. The Chief Minister informed that Atal Digital Seva Kendras have been started, the objective of which is to provide banking services to the people of rural areas in their villages. So far, such service centers have been established in 1,460 panchayats of the state, due to which thousands of mothers and sisters are taking advantage of simple, safe and accessible banking services. In the coming time, the remaining panchayats will also be connected with this facility.

On this occasion, Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary said that the state government is continuously working to make women self-reliant. The Chhattisgarh government is working in a planned manner in accordance with the target of making 3 crore Lakhpati Didi across the country. Ready to Eat Scheme is being started in this direction, in the first phase of which 6 districts have been included. Raigarh is the first district where contract letters have been handed over to women groups. The Finance Minister called upon all the women groups that have received the contract to do quality work and said that they should present this scheme as an ideal model. This initiative will not only empower women economically, but will also strengthen the state’s nutrition campaign. It is noteworthy that 10 women groups have been selected for Ready to Eat work in Raigarh district, who have been provided contract letters. These groups will be provided capital subsidy by the Industries Department under the Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprise (PMFME) scheme for setting up Ready to Eat units. Women’s groups have been selected for distribution of Ready to Eat in Anganwadi centres under Raigarh Urban, Raigarh Rural, Pusaur, Kharsia, Gharghodha, Tamnar, Lalungha, Mukdega, Dharamjaigarh and Kapu projects of Raigarh district.