Women in India need proper support, which if provided efficiently can bring a huge change in the society. They possess a great level of potential, but what they actually need is empowerment. This will not just help them grow but will help the nation to surge ahead and develop & flourish in every aspect. For an Indian woman, freedom does not just mean those sentences that are guaranteed under the constitution. It also means more jobs, opportunities for entrepreneurship, increased safety, ease in day-to-day living, and protection of the girl child. In short, the road to women’s empowerment has several factors dotting its path. The Indian government is now trying their best to encourage them and it can be witnessed through many instances. One such recent instance is Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur’s pledge for women empowerment and gender equality. Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh on the occasion of International Girl Child Day congratulated the girls and women of the state here today and urged the people of the state to work collectively towards ensuring gender parity in the society and reaffirm our commitment to ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’. He said “On the International Day of the Girl Child, let us pledge to provide our girls a world which is safe, equal, progressive and full of opportunities”. He also stated that the State Government was committed for the welfare and development of girl child and several welfare schemes have been launched for their socio-economic upliftment.
In the occasion, CM Jai Ram Thakur also discussed on other yojanas as well. He said that under Beti Hai Anmol Yojana, the lump sum assistance grant to the girl child born in the BPL family has been increased from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000. Under Mother Teresa Asahaya Matri Sambal Yojana, the amount of assistance given for the upbringing of two children has been increased from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 6000 per child per year. Under Mukhya Mantri Kanyadan Yojana, the assistance grant for the marriage of destitute girls has been increased from Rs. 40000 to Rs. 51000 which had benefited about ten thousand girls.
CM Jai Ram Thakur stated that Saksham Gudiya Board has been constituted with an aim to empower girls and adolescent girls in the state and to curb the crimes against them. He said that Sashakt Mahila Yojana was implemented in the state with the aim of making adolescent girls and women between 11 years and 45 years aware of their rights and developing their skills and connecting them with economic activities. CM Jai Ram Thakur also asserted that Mahila Kalyan Board has been reconstituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister to suggest policies for the empowerment and protection of women. Similarly, under Mukhya Mantri Bal Uddhaar Yojana, an annual scholarship of Rs. 10000 was provided in the financial year 2019-20 to the children of Bal Evam Balika Ashrams, who have secured the first two positions in the 2nd class to 8th class.
