Guwahati, March 12: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday distributed seed funds of ₹10,000 each to more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs in his home constituency of Jalukbari as part of the state government’s flagship women empowerment initiative, the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan (MMUA).
Sharing the update on X (formerly Twitter), the Chief Minister said the initiative aims to strengthen women-led entrepreneurship across Assam and help women achieve financial independence. According to Sarma, the ambitious programme has already reached more than 30 lakh women across the state.
“Today, in my own constituency of Jalukbari, I distributed seed fund of ₹10,000 each to 5,000+ enterprising women. The MMUA journey, one of the most extensive women entrepreneurship drives in Assam, has already covered 30 lakh+ women and is empowering them to become Lakhpati Didis,” Sarma wrote in his post.
The Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan is one of the largest state-level initiatives designed to support women entrepreneurs by providing financial assistance and encouraging small-scale businesses. The programme aims to transform beneficiaries into “Lakhpati Didis,” women earning at least ₹1 lakh annually through sustainable livelihood activities.
Earlier in February, Sarma had shared another update highlighting the rapid expansion of the scheme. During programmes held in the constituencies of Bokajan and Mariani, the Chief Minister said more than 45,000 women received seed funds under the MMUA initiative in a single day.
“With my sisters, always! Continuing with our drive of empowering women to become entrepreneurs, over 45,000 women received seed fund under MMUA today in Bokajan and Mariani,” Sarma had stated in his earlier post.
He also noted that the initiative has expanded rapidly across Assam, covering 116 out of the state’s 126 Assembly constituencies and benefiting nearly 29 lakh women at that stage.
The Assam government has been actively promoting women-led economic participation through various livelihood schemes and self-help group initiatives. The MMUA programme, launched to strengthen grassroots entrepreneurship, primarily targets members of self-help groups and rural women engaged in small businesses such as weaving, agriculture, food processing, handicrafts, and local services.
Officials say the seed funding helps women start or expand small enterprises, enabling them to generate stable income and support their families. The scheme also focuses on financial inclusion, skill development, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.
With the continued rollout of the programme across constituencies, the Assam government aims to cover the remaining areas soon and further expand the number of women entrepreneurs under the MMUA initiative.
