Manipur approves Women Empowerment scheme for 3.5 lakh SHG members

Imphal, Aug 28 (IANS) The Manipur government on Friday announced a ‘Women Empowerment’ scheme aimed at benefiting 3.5 lakh women in the state, officials said.

A senior official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, approved the ‘Women Empowerment’ scheme.

The official said that the new scheme would benefit 3.5 lakh women who are members of recognised Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across the state. Under the scheme, each woman beneficiary will receive a grant of Rs 10,000 in the first year, followed by interest-free loans in the second and third years, he said.

Detailed guidelines and necessary notifications regarding the implementation of the scheme will be issued in due course.

The state cabinet also gave in-principle approval to the ‘Manipur Police Special Recruitment Scheme for Meritorious Sportspersons, 2026’.

The official said that the scheme would provide a structured mechanism for the recruitment, development, retention and deployment of meritorious sportspersons against the existing five per cent reservation earmarked for sportspersons in direct recruitment to Group ‘C’ and Group ‘D’ posts under the Manipur Police.

Salient features of the scheme include the identification of priority sporting disciplines with proven medal-winning potential, including weightlifting, boxing, hockey, judo, taekwondo, fencing, cycling, archery, football, sepak takraw, wushu, canoeing and kayaking/rowing, diving, gymnastics and athletics.

The cabinet also decided to constitute a High-Level Assessment Committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to assess discipline-wise requirements and recommend recruitment proposals. Special recruitment drives would be conducted for the selection of eligible sportspersons through a transparent assessment process, the official said.

The new scheme also provides for the attachment of players to designated police units and battalions to facilitate effective coaching, training and preparation.

The state cabinet on Friday also approved the amendment to the Manipur Town and Country Planning Act, 1975, through the Sixth Amendment Bill, which would be introduced during the upcoming Assembly session.

The proposed amendment aims to enable construction activities during the period of preparation of the master plan, in line with the National Deregulation initiatives and Ease of Doing Business reforms.

–IANS

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