Lungi-Dhoti or Rs 10,000?: Assam CM questions Congress on welfare priorities

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a sharp dig at the Congress party during an event in Guwahati, responding to its criticism of the state government’s financial assistance scheme under which women beneficiaries received Rs 10,000 each.

Addressing the gathering, Sarma said, “Congress people said that the amount of Rs 10,000 which we have given is a waste of money. When they give lungi-dhoti, is that not waste? Is it better to give a lungi and dhoti, or to provide Rs 10,000 to the women of Assam?”

He further added, “They give lungi, dhoti, and mosquito nets once every five years. But when we called the women here, we never asked who voted for Congress. Our goal is simple, to make every woman in Assam a Lakhpati Didi.”

The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid an ongoing war of words between the ruling BJP government and the Congress over welfare schemes and the effective use of public funds. 

The ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative, aimed at empowering women economically, has been one of the flagship programmes of the Assam government under Sarma’s leadership.