Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday said in Jharkhand, no woman should be seen selling Hadiya (traditional alcoholic drink) on the road. The Government has taken this resolve. Women do the work of making and selling Hadiya in compulsion and helplessness. The Government will do the work of bringing the women to mainstream with all possible help. These women will be linked with employment by campaigning. The Government has started it from Tuesday, he said.
The CM, while launching “Livelihood Promotion Hunar Abhiyan-ASHA” and “Phulo-Jhano Ashirwad Abhiyan” and unveiling “Palash-brand” here on Tuesday said Hadiya-Daru is a curse in the society. “Hadiya-daru is plaguing the society like cancer. In many places in the state, women have also opposed the production of Hadiya-Daru. Today, three campaigns are being launched to ensure that women are not forced to run a family by selling alcohol,” he said.
Soren said in the coming times, Palash brand has to be given a different identity in the country and the world. “We all need to work towards making the Palash brand a world-class brand. If we all work together to take the Palash brand forward, then surely it can prove to be a milestone in the empowerment of women in the State. All of us look at the company or brand before using any product. Palash is a Government brand, whatever product will be kept or sold under this brand, it will be sold under the name of Palash,” he said.
“If we succeed in growing Palash brand properly, then its limits will go far beyond. All the products of Lijjat Papad and Amul are made by women self-help groups. The Palash brand also has to be taken ahead of the product produced by the women didis. The Palash brand is currently showing only food and drink products, in the coming time, shoes, slippers, sarees etc. can also be sold under the brand,” he said.
The CM, on the occasion, appreciated the initiative to connect 17 lakh families of the State under the “Livelihood Promotion Hunar Abhiyan-ASHA”, Palash Brand and Phulo-Jhano Ashirwad Abhiyan, being run by the Rural Development Department. He said that in recent times, Rs 600 crore has been given by the State Government for the economic empowerment of Sakhi Mandals. He said he has himself done the work of distributing one and a half crores rupees in Dumka among the Sakhi mandals. He said that the women of the State are moving up the ladder one by one and we all have to work together to speed it up.
Speaking on the occasion, Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam said the Government has been successful in giving employment to 7 lakh 62 thousand people in the event of lockdown. Currently 6 lakh 50 thousand people are being given employment every day. He said that the state government is capable of providing employment. He stressed on the launch of “Livelihood Promotion Hunar Abhiyan-ASHA” and “Phulo-Jhano Aashirwad Abhiyan” and to make the “Palash-Brand” reach from village to village and implement its objective.
An exhibition of the Palash brand product was also organised on the occasion. All the Ministers, including CM Hemant Soren, also visited this exhibition. On this occasion “Palash Production Promotion cum Sales Vehicle” was also flagged off.
Ministers Champai Soren, Banna Gupta, Badal, Satyanand Bhokta; MLA Amba Prasad, Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rajeev Arun Ekka, Secretary Aradhana Patnaik, CEO of JSLPS Women of Women Self Help Group and CEO of JSLPS Rajiv Kumar were present on the occasion.
