Jaipur: Rajasthan has set up over 2.3 lakh self help groups for economic empowerment in the state and taken a slew of measures for speedy development, Governor Margaret Alva said on Thursday.
Outlining the state`s policy in her Address to the budget session of the assembly, Alva praised government schemes including distribution of free medicines and rural BPL housing among others.
"Our government has for the first time implemented and successfully executed 15 state flagship schemes which have been appreciated at the national level. These schemes have solved the problem of people related with medicine, house, education," she said.
On efforts taken for women by the government, Alva said the state commission for women had introduced a helpline for their assistance.
Rajasthan Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojna has raised the rate of institutional delivery from earlier 71 per cent to 81 per cent and has brought down mother and child mortality rates, Alva said.
Rajasthan Public Services delivery guarantee act, interest free crop loan for farmers, chief minister`s scholarship programme were among other schemes and programmes Alva sought to highlight in her address.
Before Alva began her speech, BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari requested the Governor to address in Hindi instead of English, saying most people in the state were Hindi speaking.
The Governor paying heed to the request delivered a portion of the speech in Hindi, copy of which was later tabled in the house.
While Alva was addressing, CPI MLAs staged a walk out in protest of the state government`s apathy towards the demands of trade unions.
MLA Hanuman Beniwal (who is suspended from BJP legislative party) and independent legislator Golma Devi also joined them in the walk out.
Before adjourning for the day, the House condoled the deaths of former Prime Minister I K Gujral, former Governor of Gujarat Kailashpati Mishra, former CM of Puducherry Panchanatham Shanmugam, former CM Uttrakhand Nityanand Swami, former Deputy Speaker of Raj Vidhansabha Ramnarayan Chaudhary, seven former MLAs of the state and the victims of Mahakumbha stampede.
PTI
