In a major development towards women empowerment, the State Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution brought by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking a 33-per cent reservation for women in the Legislative Assembly and the Parliament.
The resolution was passed following a discussion participated by members belonging to all parties, Opposition Congress and BJP and the ruling BJD. “I initiate the discussion on this historic motion for providing 33 percent reservation for women in Legislative Assemblies and the Parliament,” the Chief Minister said while moving the resolution and appealed the members of the House to extend their support and adopt this resolution unanimously. “Empowerment of women is very close to my heart. No household, no society, no State, no country has ever moved forward without empowering its women,” he said. “The new Odisha will move forward with much greater momentum, only if half of our population, our mothers and daughters have a role in the highest decision making bodies of our State and our Country. Odisha must show its commitment and its resolve to the entire nation that it is the land where women are truly empowered and truly involved in nation building,” the CM added.
The resolution would be sent to the Union Government for final approval.