Assam’s Hailakandi district showcases women-led tofu units during minister’s review

Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, during an official visit to Assam’s Hailakandi district on Tuesday, highlighted women-led tofu production units as a promising model for rural economic empowerment under the Aspirational District Programme.

The minister visited the Tofu Production Centre at Gagalachharra in Lalamukh Gram Panchayat, where women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are running six operational units under the brand name Dhaleswari. These units—three at Gagalachharra and three at Barni Bridge, Mohanpur—collectively produce up to 600 kilograms of tofu daily and provide direct employment to 60 women. Bambhaniya commended the initiative as an example of grassroots livelihood success and called for scaling such efforts.

The visit was part of a broader review of development initiatives in the district. The minister also inspected health and education infrastructure, including the New Primary Health Centre at Gharmura and the Laxminagar Tea Estate Model High School. At both sites, she evaluated services and encouraged stronger community involvement in public schemes and education retention.

During her stop at Sultanicherra’s Sultani Model Anganwadi Centre, Bambhaniya interacted with children and parents, emphasising access to welfare benefits. At Kuchila, she reviewed the Agriculture Department's Soil Testing Laboratory, which has analysed over 28,000 soil samples and issued Soil Health Cards to local farmers.

A visit to the Oil Palm Seed Nursery near the Assam–Manipur border further underlined the government’s focus on agri-based income generation. Spanning 10 bighas, the nursery aims to promote oil palm cultivation as a viable source of revenue for farmers in the region.

The final leg of her itinerary included an inspection of an Animal Sub-Centre in Kuchila, a ₹28-lakh project providing veterinary services such as artificial insemination and vaccinations to 23 surrounding villages.

Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner Hivare Nisarg Gautam and senior departmental officials accompanied the minister throughout the visit, offering updates on local project implementation.