Guwahati, Aug. 1 -- The Assam government on Saturday rolled out Orunodoi 3.0, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiling a series of new initiatives to strengthen the flagship welfare scheme and make it a stronger financial support system for women.

Launching the new phase of the scheme at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati, Sarma said the government plans to allow beneficiaries to access their future Orunodoi payments in advance or use their annual entitlement to secure bank loans during emergencies.

Explaining the proposal, the Chief Minister said a woman facing an urgent financial need should not have to depend on moneylenders.

"Suppose a woman suddenly needs Rs 2,000 or Rs 10,000 for an emergency. Instead of borrowin...