Empowerment of Women a Priority: CM
Bhopal — Seeking greater contribution from the fairer gender in the development of the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Monday described women as the axis of the family.
Addressing a ‘Mahila Sammelan’ (Women’s conclave) and training programme marking the International Women’s Day at the Lal Parade Ground in the state capital, the Chief Minister observed that the active participation of women in the ‘Apna Madhya Pradesh Banao’ campaign will pave the way for other members of the family to participate in the campaign and play a key role in the realization of the campaign objectives.
Chouhan said the biggest task was to increase the participation of women in the governance and noted that Madhya Pradesh accomplished this task reserving 50 percent seats for women in the Panchayat Raj Institutions and urban bodies in the state.
He said that the recent election of about 55 percent women to these bodies augurs well for women’s empowerment in the state.
Speaking of his pet empowerment scheme, Chouhan said the ‘Ladli Laxmi Yojana’ has been introduced with an objective to make the girl’s birth a boon instead of a curse and added that this novel scheme would soon be given a legal cover.
Chouhan said that the government is considering a campaign to issue driving licenses to women and promised that women vehicle drivers would be encouraged through the rural transport policy.
He said the practice of portraying women in an obscene manner should be opposed at every level and informed that he had imposed a ban on display of such advertisement hoardings in the state.
Describing women empowerment as a priority for the state government, the Chief Minister listed the state government schemes being implemented in the state for the educational, social, legal and economic empowerment of the women folk.
These schemes include Ladli Laxmi Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Kaynadan Yojana, Gaon Ki Beti Yojana, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Pratibha Kiran Yojana, Usha Kiran Yojana and schemes for distribution of free bicycles and textbooks to women.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister felicitated Neetu Agrawal, Sapna Agrawal, Priyanka Malviya and Sandhya Pandey for their acts of bravery and awareness and also handed over the documents of Ladli Laxmi Yojana to four beneficiaries – Yashika, Haripriya, Subhana and Meena Kausar.
Speaking on the occasion Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Ranjana Baghel said women and child development is a priority area of the state government.
She informed that the department budget which was a meager Rs.190 crore in 2001-02 has now been increased to Rs. 1860 crore.
The minister informed that a provision of Rs. 302 crore has been made for the Ladli Laxmi Yojana in the budget of the next financial year.
Home Minister, Umashankar Gupta also spoke on the occasion.
Chairperson of Child Protection Right Commission, Sheela Khanna; Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development, Lavleen Kakkad; Managing Director, Women Economic Development Corporation, Sudha Chaudhary and MLA Neena Verma attended the programme, organized by the Woman and Child Development Department.
