Union Food Processing Industry Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday said that the positive increase in all women-related indexes in Punjab in the national family health survey (2015-16) was a direct result of the pro-women schemes formulated by the SAD-BJP Government during the last ten years.
“Women form the cornerstone of all programmes initiated by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and it is due to this emphasis that women have also assumed an important role in decision making in Punjab,” she said.
Harsimrat, on the women's day, said that the SAD-BJP government had encouraged women empowerment, gender equality and gender justice besides social, economic and political empowerment of women.
“This has been reflected by the national survey which has disclosed that the sex ratio in Punjab has improved from 882 females per 1000 males to 905 females. Besides this, the survey records that Punjabi women have more say in decision making at home and have become more literate by recording a 13 per cent jump in literacy levels,” she said.
SAD’s MP from Bathinda, she said that novel schemes initiated for women included free cycles provided under Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme for girls from standard nine to twelve, ‘Shagun’ of `15,000 upon marriage of all under privileged girls, subsidy on loans taken by women besides education and financial assistance, scholarships, nutrition and self-employment.
Regarding steps taken to ensure women safety, she said that a women cadre had been constituted in the State police and 4,500 women had been recruited. “Special women patrolling teams have been constituted to accord top priority to women safety. For the first time ever, 200 women has become Sub-Inspectors…An IG rank officer had been deputed as state nodal officer for monitoring crimes against women,” she added.
listing other achievements, Harsimrat said that the SAD- BJP government had established Punjab State Commission for Women to protect rights of women and curb domestic violence. She said that various NGOs had also contributed to making women self-reliant.
listing the achievements of Nanhi Chaan NGO, promoted by her, the Union Minister said that nearly 9,000 women had been taught sewing to make them self-reliant. “Under this endeavor, more than 4,000 women had also been given sewing machines to help them earn their livelihood,” she said.