Chief Minister announced women’s empowerment award in the name of Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi
• Nagar Panchayat status to Sambalpur
• Announcement of Rs 50 lakh for the construction of community building of Lodhi Samaj
• Chief Minister attended the gathering in remembrance of Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi’s Martyrdom
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel today announced women’s empowerment award in the name of Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi. This announcement was made on the remembrance day of Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi in Sambalpur village of Nawagarh block of Bemetara district. This award will be given on the occasion of State Foundation Day on November 01. The Chief Minister also announced that Sambalpur would be accorded the status of Nagar Panchayat and Rs 50 lakh would be given for community building of Lodhi Samaj in Sambalpur. Regional MLA and Parliamentary Secretary Gurudayal Singh Banjare. Sadhna Bharti, Vice-Chairman of the Entrepreneur Co-operative Finance Development Corporation Neeta Lodhi, State President of Lodhi Samaj Kamleshwar Verma, President of District Committee Banshi. Dignitaries including Patel were present during the ceremony.
Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said that the names of Veerangana Rani Laxmibai, Tatya Tope, Mangal Pandey appear in the first line in the war of India’s first freedom struggle of 1857. In 1857, Veerangana Avanti Bai Lodhi sacrificed her life while fighting against the British. This meeting has been organized in Sambalpur to remember and pay tribute to Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai for her indomitable courage and sacrifice. Many Women patriots like Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi, Maharani Lakshmi Bai, Rani Durgavati are the symbols of women’s strength, courage and ability. Whenever women have gone ahead with the insistence of getting their rights, they have created history. The Chief Minister further said that the brave sons of Chhattisgarh, Shaheed Vir Narayan Singh, Gaind Singh Nayak and Gundadhur had fought against the British. In the 17-18th century, it was not common for women to get out of the house to participate in war. Rani Avanti Bai laid down her life while defending our country during the freedom movement. We salute such brave women. The Chief Minister further announced that the amount for the fourth installment of paddy purchase on support price would be transferred to the bank accounts of the respective farmers on Thursday, March 31. He said that in the coming Kharif season Paddy will be purchased at the rate of 2540 Rs. per quintal. The state government will give Rs. 3 thousand as Minimum Support Price for the purchase of Kodo-Kutki. 3377 Rs. per quintal for Ragi. 64 types of minor forest produce are also being purchased on minimum support price. State Government-run Gauthans are being made in villages for the protection of animals and Livestock occupational practices. The government is also going to make arrangements to buy cow urine. The Chief Minister appealed to adopt vermicompost instead of chemical fertilisers to maintain the fertility of the land. The Chief Minister also said that the state-run village Gauthans will also be developed as rural centres for economic activities. These centers will be called Rural Industrial Parks as per the Gandhian vision of Gram Swaraj to convert every village into an economically viable and self-reliant entity. After implementing the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhoomiheen Krishi Mazdoor Nyay Yojana, an assistance amount of Rs.6 thousand is being given annually. Now in the new budget, an announcement has been made to increase it to 7 thousand rupees annually. The Chief Minister was welcomed in the ceremony with a gajmala. On the announcement of the restoration of the old pension scheme, the teachers union of Nawagarh-Nandghat congratulated the Chief Minister.
Parliamentary Secretary Shri Gurudayal Singh Banjare said that along with the freedom struggle, Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi did the work of awakening patriotic consciousness in the society. She laid down her life for patriotism, national unity and integrity. I bow down to such a brave woman. Parliamentary Secretary Shri Banjare expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister for his participation in this program. Spokesperson Ms. Sadhna Bharti said that today we all have gathered here on the martyrdom day of Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai. Those who sacrificed their lives in the freedom movement of the country. Sadhna Bharti said that there is a need to promote mass marriages to prevent wasteful expenditure in marriages. The Chief Minister Kanya Vivah Yojana is also being operated by the state government. 50 percent reservation has been given to women in urban bodies and three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions. This is an exemplary initiative of the state government. State President Lodhi Samaj Shri Kameleshwar Verma also expressed his views.
On this occasion Collector Vilas Bhoskar Sandipan, Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Singh, District Panchayat CEO Leena Mandavi, District Panchayat President Anjali Satish Markande, District Vice President Ritesh Sharma, Sub-Divisional Officer Revenue Praveen Tiwari, Dhanshyam Verma of Samaj, Maro Circle Lodhi Samaj President Saroj Kumar Rajput, Navagarh Circle President Ishwar Singh Lodhi, Moolchand Lodhi, Smt. Seema Kaushik, Jaiprakash Rajput, Jagdish Rajput, Rajendra Verma, Dhanshyam Rajput and other dignitaries were also present.
