Sikkim CM Grants ₹20,000 First Instalment of Annual ₹40,000 Aid to Non-Working Mothers

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang Distributes Aid to 32,000 Non-Working Mothers, Announces ‘Nari Adalats’

On Sunday, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang distributed cheques worth ₹20,000 each to 32,000 non-working mothers under the Aama Sashaktikaran Yojana, a state initiative focused on empowering women. The scheme provides an annual financial assistance of ₹40,000 in two instalments to unemployed mothers, recognising and supporting their contributions as homemakers.

The first instalment distribution ceremony took place in Rangpo during the celebration of Aama Samman Diwas, which coincided with the 8th anniversary of Tamang’s release from prison—an event he termed 8th Jan UnMukti Diwas. The occasion held special significance for the CM, as his mother, Dhan Maya Tamang, attended the event. Expressing gratitude on Facebook, Tamang said he was “deeply moved” by the love and respect shown to both him and his mother.

Officials stated that the government aims to eventually include all eligible women in the scheme, even those who have not yet enrolled, to ensure full statewide coverage.

Highlighting Sikkim’s declining fertility rate—a long-standing concern of his—Tamang reiterated the importance of pro-family policies to encourage larger families in India’s least populous state. He has introduced various measures in recent years to address the demographic challenge, positioning the Aama Sashaktikaran Yojana as part of a broader push to strengthen family and social welfare.

At the same event, Tamang announced the launch of Nari Adalats by the state’s Department of Women, Child, Senior Citizens and Divyanjan. These community-led women’s courts are designed to provide informal, accessible, and local dispute resolution, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. By empowering women to resolve family and social conflicts at the community level, the initiative aims to reduce dependence on the formal legal system. The Nari Adalats will operate under the ‘Sambal’ sub-scheme of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development’s Mission Shakti.

Tamang used the platform to reflect on his past incarceration, asserting that the previous government had falsely implicated him in a corruption case. He described the anniversary of his release as an emotional milestone, linking his personal journey to his ongoing efforts to uplift the people of Sikkim, particularly women and families.

The day’s events brought together social welfare announcements, symbolic gestures, and personal reflections from the Chief Minister. The combination of financial aid, institutional support for women, and pro-family policy advocacy underscored Tamang’s strategy of linking social empowerment to both economic and demographic goals.

By blending immediate financial relief with long-term social infrastructure like Nari Adalats, Tamang positioned his government’s initiatives as part of a vision to empower women, strengthen families, and foster community-led solutions in Sikkim’s social framework. The dual celebration of Aama Samman Diwas and UnMukti Diwas provided both a political and emotional backdrop to the announcements, reinforcing the CM’s personal and political narrative of resilience, justice, and social responsibility.