Jaipur, December 15. Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje has started distribution of the first of its kind Bhamashah Scheme Card in which would give identity to the woman head along with other member of the family. The CM launched this card and transferred the benefits through this at Patel Maidan in Ajmer on Monday.

Addressing the gathering during the event for launch of card and benefit transfer for the largest and innovative scheme for financial inclusion Smt. Raje said that this scheme was a sign of strong-will and commitment of the state government in the direction of empowerment of women of Rajasthan. This would make crores of women realize their dreams.

The CM said that although in our country the women were called avatars of goddess Durga, everybody knew that how much power they possessed. “Although called Saraswati, the women here were deprived in education. Though we call them Lakshmi, the fact is that women are financially powerless,” she said. Now, this dedicated to their empowerment and it would ensure women were treated as Goddess Durga, Saraswati or Lakshmi in real terms, she added,

Smt. Raje said that scheme like MNREGS, pension, scholarship and PDS would now be linked with this project. She said that the families which had not received Bhamashah card, would continue to have various benefits as usual. She said the scheme had been linked with banking system. She thanked Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, ICICI Bank, Corporation Bank and Indian Overseas Bank for co- joining and branding with the Bhamashah scheme.

The CM said that under this scheme, entire details of transactions would be available on mobile phone and information about the transfer of benefit and withdrawal of money would be immediately communicated through mobile phone SMS.

Smt. Raje She further added that in this scheme the state government would provide cash amount of Rs. 2000 in the name of woman head of every BPL family of the state in two installments. Bank accounts were also being opened for about 1.5 crore families in the name the women heads. Second installment of Rs. 1000 would be transferred in the bank account six months after the first installment. This apart, those BPL families having Aadhaar Cards of their members would be given additional Rs. 100 per member. This scheme too had been integrated with the Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojna so that the benefits available in that scheme could also be given availed.

The Chief Minister said that Bhamashah card holder women would be able to get rations from the PDS shops using bio-metric system. This facility has been started with a selected PDS shops in the state. The CM said that in days to come the scheme would be expanded for all PDS shops in the state. After that, the PDS shopkeepers would be given the commission only if they distribute rationed items through bio-metric system.

Smt. Raje said that with the Bhamashah card poor and deprived people would also get facility of medical insurance for treatment amounting from Rs. 30,000 to Rs 3 lakh. She reiterated that the Bhamashah Scheme was also initiated in 2008 during her previous tenure as the CM. After opening over 29 lakh bank accounts for women Rs 160 crore were also transferred, but the scheme was then stalled by the succeeding government.

The CM informed that the entire information received for Bhamashah Scheme had been computerized and on the basis of this another scheme Swavalamban would be implemented. Putting every BPL family in the centre, reimbursement of the individual benefit scheme would be provided and monitored through computers.

During the event, some women card holders in Ajmer district withdraw cash from the banks and purchased rations from a PDS shop in the CM’s presence through video conferencing.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Shri Arun Chaturvedi, Chief Secretary Shri CS Rajan, Principal Secretary Finance Shri PS Mehra also addressed the gathering. Minister of State for Woman and Child Development Smt. Anita Bhadel, Minister of State for Education Shri Vasudev Devnani, Chairman of Heritage Conservation and Improvement Authority Shri Onkar Singh Lakhawat, Secretary IT Shri Akhil Arora, MLAs Shri Shatrughan Gautam, Shri Bhagirath Chaudhari, Shri Shankar Singh Rawat, Smt. Sushil Kanwar Palada and Shri Ramlal Gurjar were also present on this occasion.

Prior to the card launch function, the Chief Minister inaugurated the new buildings of Government Law College, Division-level Residential School for Deft and Dumb amd a new CTVS Unit in Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College.

Smt. Raje also saw artistic jewellery and handicraft works of various women self-help groups from Ajmer district and appreciated it.