GUWAHATI, March 10 -- The Assam government on Tuesday disbursed Rs.9,000 each to nearly 4 million families as part of it's flagship beneficiary scheme, Orunodoi. The move comes just days ahead of the Election Commission's expected announcement of schedule for state assembly elections. The dates for the poll are expected within a week and voting likely to take place in April.

"From 1.8 million beneficiaries in 2020 when Orunodoi was launched with Rs.830 per month to each beneficiary, now the scheme covers 4 million women. Still around 10% of eligible women are not covered by it. To ensure that they also get included, BJP has to come to power again," said chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at an event in Guwahati.

He said that Rs.17,000 c...