Jammu: Minister of State for Education, Technical Education, Culture and Tourism, Priya Sethi Thursday said series of women centric schemes launched by centre and state government in past few years have enabled the womenfolk to live their drea
“It is for the first time in history that so many women oriented schemes have been launched to give them an honourable, secure and comfortable life ” Priya Sethi said while speaking at separate functions organized at Govt. Polytechnic College and Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidhyalaya , Jammu to mark International Women’s Day Celebrations.
Priya Sethi noted that empowering the women is must for the empowerment of the nation and said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to launch women oriented schemes is primarily aimed at to eradicate gender bias in the society.
She said each and every day belongs to woman for the key reason that she doesn’t know quitting in any given situation. She said the gesture of celebrating International Women’s Day reminds everyone to respect women, to shun male chivalry and honour the human rights of women by providing them a chance to excel in the society.
“Presently 640 districts in the country have been covered under Beti Bachao Beto Padhao scheme, maternity leave has been extended from 12 to 26 weeks for working women, under Stand Up India scheme Rs 6895 crore worth loans have been extended to women entrepreneurs, 1.26 bank accounts have been opened for girl child under Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, about 16.42 crore women have got bank accounts under Jan Dhan Yojana besides ease in passport rules for single mothers have come as a great help and under Mudra Yojana, while 7.88 crore women entrepreneurs have been funded to start their businesses” she said.
The Minister said the biggest achievement of union government is giving 3.5 crore women smoke-free lives by distributing free cooking gas connections under Ujjwala Yojana and the target is to cover about 8 crore women.
Presence of six female Cabinet ministers at the centre and Jammu and Kashmir State having first women Chief Minister are signs of transforming India, the Minister maintained. Women empowerment, she said is not only transforming India but also helping millions of young women to live their drea “Schemes like One Stop are Thursday supporting women affected by violence and SWADHAR Greh initiative is helping women create a supportive institutional framework catering to their primary needs in difficult situations” she asserted.
In J&K, government is giving several scholarships to poor and minority students, social security to marginal workers, professional training to women and also extending loans for setting up their units. “Special women’s police stations, women buses and vocational training through Social Welfare Centres are all aimed at giving women a dignified life” she added.
Priya Sethi said the world has changed and issue of feminism or gender bias makes no difference when women are determined to achieve their goals of climbing mountains, clearing civil services exams, excelling in music, art or academics, serving in banking sector or even becoming a soldier. “The sky is the limit for which both state as well central governments have set desirable support systems wherein women can avail facilities and live their dreams” she informed.
At Govt. Polytechnic College, District Administration Jammu and Integrated Child Development Services organised a colourful event to celebrate the occasion as part of ongoing District Task Force “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao ”Pan Inida Expansion program.
The event witnessed Songs and skits based on the theme “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” presented by the artists of Song and Drama Division and ICDS project workers.
Awards were distributed to meritorious female students for their academic excellence and wellness kits were also distributed among mothers of newly born female children.
ADDC, Jammu, Suriya Jabeen , ADC Jammu, Kanta Rakwal, P.O Jammu , Natasha Kalsotra, CEO Jammu, JK Sudan, CDPO (Jammu) Hakikat Singh, CDPO (Kot Balwal), Firdousa Akhtar, CDPO (ICDS Migrants) Neha Gupta, Principal, Boys, Polytechnic, Arun Bangotra along with functionaries of concerned departments were present on the occasion.
Later, the Minister attended a program on “The Role of Women in value based society” organised by Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidhyalaya to mark the day. Prominent among those present at the function were Director, Radio Kashmir, Anjali Sharma, Administrator, Associated Hospitals, Govt. Medical College, Jammu, Dr. Shubhra Sharma, Chairperson, Trikuta Colleges, Suman Sharma, Director, Brahma Kumaris , Jammu, Dr Sudarshan , Dr Meena Sharma and RJ Radio Mirchi, Shwetima Jamwal.
