Assam Women & Child Development
Arundhati Gold Yojana
(Assam Government Marriage Support Scheme)
Launching Date/Time of Arundhati Gold Yojana
Launched on: 1st January 2020
Administered by: Department of Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Assam
Objective of Arundhati Gold Yojana
Primary aim: To provide social and economic security to newly married girls from economically weaker families in Assam.
Key goal: Encourage marriage registration under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, and empower women by supporting their families’ traditional wish to gift gold at marriage.
Wider impact: Promote dignity and security for women in marriage, discourage child marriage, and foster inclusive development.
Features of Arundhati Gold Yojana
Financial assistance: ₹40,000 provided to eligible brides for purchasing gold for marriage (equivalent to 10 grams or 1 tola of gold).
Mode of benefit: Direct cash transfer for gold purchase, not physical gold.
Marriage registration: Mandatory under the Special Marriage Act, 1954.
Eligibility criteria:
Bride must be at least 18 years old; groom must be at least 21 years old.
Family’s annual income must not exceed ₹5 lakh.
Both bride and groom must have passed at least Class 10 (educational qualification).
Benefit is only for the bride’s first marriage.
Marriage must be solemnized on or after 1 December 2019, and registered on or after 1 January 2020.
Application process: Online application through the official portal.
Funding: Entirely state-funded.
Beneficiaries of Arundhati Gold Yojana
Target group: Newly married women from low-income families in Assam.
Specifics: Only those meeting the income, age, marital status, and educational requirements as above.
Geographical coverage: All districts of Assam
Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina
(girl empowerment)
Launching Date/Time of Nijut Moina Scheme
The Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina (MMNM) scheme was officially launched on August 8, 2024.
Objective of Nijut Moina Scheme
Empower girls in Assam by promoting their education through direct financial support.
Reduce and eliminate child marriage by incentivizing girls to continue their studies, thus delaying marriage age.
Increase enrollment and retention of girl students in higher secondary, graduation, and post-graduation programs.
Raise the percentage of girls educated beyond matriculation and improve the state’s overall Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER).
Reduce dropout rates among girl students, especially after matriculation.
Features of Nijut Moina Scheme
Monthly financial assistance is provided directly to eligible girl students:
Higher Secondary: ₹1,000 per month
Graduation (3 or 4-year degree): ₹1,200 per month
Post-Graduation/B.Ed.: ₹2,500 per month
Duration: Assistance is given for 10 months each academic year.
Coverage: Aims to benefit around 10 lakh girl students in government and venture (aided) institutions.
Budget: The scheme has an outlay of ₹1,500 crore over five years; ₹300 crore allocated for the first year.
Application process: Forms distributed at the time of admission; parental consent required; forms submitted to nodal officers and uploaded to the “Samarth and Darpan” web portal.
Eligibility restrictions:
Not available to girls studying in private institutions (except venture colleges)
Not available to married female students
Daughters of ministers/MLAs, recipients of other major state scholarships (like scooters for HS toppers), and students with irregular attendance or disciplinary issues are excluded.
Beneficiaries of Nijut Moina Scheme
Unmarried girl students enrolled in the first year of higher secondary, undergraduate, or postgraduate courses in government and venture institutions in Assam.
The scheme specifically excludes:
Married female students
Students in private colleges/universities (except venture colleges)
Daughters of ministers/MLAs
Students who have already received scooters for academic excellence in HS exams
Students with poor attendance or disciplinary issues
Jibon Prerana Scheme
(Support for young graduates)
Launching date/time of Jibon Prerana Scheme
- Announced in the Assam State Budget: March 10, 2025.
Objective of Jibon Prerana Scheme
- Primary Goal: To provide financial assistance to young graduates and research scholars from Assam during their job search or early career phase.
- Purpose: To help youth become self-reliant, manage living expenses independently, and confidently pursue employment or entrepreneurial opportunities.
Features of Jibon Prerana Scheme
- Financial Support:
- Monthly assistance: ₹2,500 for eligible young graduates.
- One-time grant: ₹25,000 for research scholars and graduates.
- Special provision: Differently-abled scholars receive a higher one-time grant of ₹50,000.
- Mode of Disbursement: Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
- Budget Allocation: ₹25 crore set aside for the scheme in FY 2025-26.
- Application Process: Online application portal (expected to launch by October 2025).
- Required Documents: Aadhaar card, PAN card, ration card, passport-sized photo, and bank account details.
- Targeted Support: Specifically for 2025 batch graduates and current research scholars from government universities/colleges in Assam.
- Financial Support:
Beneficiaries of Jibon Prerana Scheme
- Eligible Groups:
- Young graduates (2025 batch) from government universities or colleges in Assam.
- Research scholars at state or central government universities in Assam.
- Differently-abled graduates/research scholars receive enhanced benefits.
- Residency: Applicants must be permanent residents of Assam
Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan (MMUA)
Launching date/time of Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan (MMUA)
- Formally launched : April 1, 2025
Objective of Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan
Empower rural women entrepreneurs.
Transform participants into “Rural Micro Entrepreneurs.”
Aim for a ₹1 lakh annual income target for women entrepreneurs.
Features of Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan
Focuses on women beyond Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
Provides financial assistance to rural women.
Eligibility is based on family planning:
General and OBC women: No more than 3 children.
Moran, Muttock, and tea-tribe women: No more than 4 children.
ST and SC women: No more than 4 children.
Beneficiaries of Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan
Rural women entrepreneurs.
Women from general, OBC, ST, SC, Moran, Muttock, and tea-tribe communities, based on family planning criteria.
Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme
Launching date/time of Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme
- Launched in November 2021
Objective of Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme
- Benefit 24 lakh women in Assam by providing financial relief.
Address repayment issues faced by women borrowers, especially due to COVID.
Features of Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme
- One-time Incentive: Women receive between ₹16,000 and ₹25,000 each.
Phases of Implementation:
Phase 1: Incentive for borrowers who have been repaying debt regularly.
Phase 2: Incentive for women whose payments are overdue by less than 90 days, and accounts not classified as non-performing assets.
Phase 3: Incentive for women with non-performing assets, with partial or full relief based on evaluation.
State Government Funding: ₹1,800 crores allocated for waiving microfinance loans.
Agreement: Assam Government signed agreements with 38 microfinance institutions and banks for ₹12,000 crores.
Beneficiaries of Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme
Primary Beneficiaries: 24 lakh women in Assam who are borrowers from microfinance institutions.
Criteria: Women borrowers in rural areas, facing repayment issues due to COVID, including those with overdue loans and non-performing assets.