This year's theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality’. United Nations wants to improve the ratio of males and females and bring it to parity. In many countries around the world, the condition of sex ratio is very poor which is dangerous and alarming for all. I can proudly say that it is much better in our Madhya Pradesh. On various fronts, girls are proving themselves to the society.
MP government is trying to give a favourable environment to women. That is why; we have launched many schemes and programmes for their betterment. To end the perception of considering the girl child as a burden, schemes called ladli laxmi Yojana and Beti Bachao Yojana have been running since. In year 2001, the male female sex ratio was 919: 1000. This was an alarming moment for us. We made constant efforts on right time and improved it to 932: 1000 in year 2011.
The first step toward women empowerment and improve gender ratio is prevention of gender test during the pregnancy. The discrimination with the girl child starts from her birth itself which continuous throughout her life. I decided to take care of them by starting many schemes so that they live their life happily, healthily and respectfully.
Swagatam laxmi Yojna has been started to provide them better education, better medical assistance, safe nurturing and upbringing. Under the emergency transportation service, more than 900 vehicles are always kept ready for the pregnant ladies and ill children.
A child care leave of 730 days has been decided for the female government employees. Females now get 50 per cent reservation in Panchayat, municipal corporation elections while 50 per cent in teachers’ recruitment. In government jobs also, females get 33 per cent reservation.
Chief Minister Women Empowerment scheme is for those women who are in a troublesome situation. Because of quality training and proper guidance, Chief Minister Women Empowerment scheme and Tejaswini program has got 'SKOCH Merit of the year' award and also included in the top twenty schemes of the country.
With the implementation of Sabala scheme, teenage girls are becoming independent, self-reliant, healthy, and capable.
There are many areas in Madhya Pradesh which are affected by child marriage. This malpractice puts the life of a young girl in a vicious cycle.
Not only her, but next few generations also get affected. Around 52,000 such marriages have been stopped by the lado Abhiyan. In the early days, people used to take loan or sell their land to collect money for the marriage of their daughter. We started a Chief Minister Girls’ Marriage Scheme under which poor fathers get financial assistance for the marriage of their daughters. Not only they get to organize a grand function, but they also get the items which are generally used by a family like utensils, bed, lPG connections and many other things. Hindu as well as Muslim marriages are organized at the same time. Around 21 lakh girls have been benefitted with the ladli laxmi Yojana.
Besides, Shaurya Dal is active in as many as twenty districts and is giving a strong message to the society by fighting against violence, dowry, discrimination and other social evils. Dial 1090 is another example of providing security to the women.
I feel proud when I see that the government is standing behind every girl from her birth, throughout her adolescence and until her marriage and career.
We can say that Madhya Pradesh doesn’t need to celebrate Women’s Day. The women of this state celebrate it on every day by becoming more powerful day by day. I request all of you to make such an environment where girls are treated in a special manner. They should get socially secured, better health facilities, quality education and equal rights. Women empowerment is one of mine as well as state’s main motive and I am sure that with your support, together we will make Madhya Pradesh as a model state.
Again, I want to wish you Happy Women's Day.
(From the blog of Shivraj Singh Chouhan)