Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that no one can ignore women who constitue half of the population. His Government was always committed to facilitate the members of fairer sex to come forward and contribute in the progress of the State as well as the country. Yadav felicitated 392 women (306 mahila pradhan and 86 women and organisations) with Rani lakshmi Bai Award along with Yash Bharati to 7 others.
Speaking at a programme here at lok Bhawan, Akhilesh said that his Government was always committed to welfare and security for women who constitute half of the population.
Stressing that his Government has been working for the “honour, security and progress of women”, Akhilesh cited various schemes in Uttar Pradesh being run specifically for them. “Besides providing Rs 500 monthly under Samajwadi Pension Scheme to 55 lakh families, my Government had always honoured the females by facilitating them with free laptops, monetary help under Kanya Vidya Dhan Scheme, besides honoring outstanding women who excel in their fields under Rani lakshmi Bai Mahila Samman, and Yash Bharati Awards etc”, he added.
Akhilesh also reminded of Women Powerline (1090) which provide round the clock security to females, ‘102’ to provide free ambulance services to pregnant women to reach hospital and later to drop them back after delivery etc, and said recently an integrated police control room (UP 100) also come-up which facilitates immediate police response to anyone who is in distress.
Condemning the pratice of female foeticide, Akhilesh said his Government will ensure “strict compliance” with the law against it even as he called for a “change in mentality” to fight the menace.
“The Government will deal with the problem with full sincerity and ensure strict compliance with the law for checking female foeticide,” he said while addressing the women achievers.
The Chief Minister further stressed that ending the evil would “also require a change in mentality”. “Girls are the strength of the family... nobody can forget Rani laxmibai... she was the symbol of woman power,” he said.
Yadav once again took the opportunity to hit on recent demonetisation by the Centre. “Demonestisation had just led to unemployment, and series of problems for the traders, farmers, labourers etc,” he asserted while adding that only the common and honest man were facing difficulties.
On the occasion, Government also signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Stanford University and Women and Child Development Department of the State for more empowerment on the women and promote gender equality. He said that to facilitate the competitors for joined government jobs, a App Rs sarkaripariksha.com’ was also launched which would facilitate any query on one platform just with click of a mouse. He also handed over a letter of appreciation to the Allahabad police for successfully taking action to check human trafficking in the district. He also inaugurated Asha Jyoti Centres in Bareilly, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Kannauj, lucknow, Allahabad. Ghazipur, Gorakhpur and Varanasi besides dedicating State Resource Centre For Women and Child (SRCWC) in Kannauj. Besides Akhilesh Yadav, the programme was also attended by advisor to the State Government, Alok Ranjan, principal secretary (Women and Child Development), Renuka Kumar etc.