Finance Minister Ajanta Neog said that development without women is not development and rural women are key agents for development.
Addressing a huge meeting at Merapani in Golaghat district on Sunday, the Finance Minister said that women play a catalytic role towards achievement of transformational economic, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development.
The Finance Minister graced the occasion and distributed relief cheques of to a section of beneficiaries of the second phase under the 'Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme' at the Community Building of The Gomariguri Development Block Office Complex in Merapani.
The Minister also issued loan sanction letters and collective investment fund cheques to self-help groups under the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission.
Neog also unveiled the reconstruction and modernisation of the community building and training centre of The Gomariguri Development Block.
It may be recalled that several development projects would be taken up soon in the interest of the overall development of the Merapani area along the Assam-Nagaland border.
The Finance Minister also inaugurated an automatic weaving industry run by women self-help groups in Sawdang Pathar village of Merapani and inspected weaving of sarees by women.
Addressing the media, The Finance Minister said Government of Assam have introduced various schemes for the weavers and efforts are being made to to uplift the weavers by increasing their income.