Chief Minister Raman Singh on Tuesday greeted the citizens of the State and in particular women on the eve of International Women's Day on Wednesday.
Singh in his message mentioned that Women's Day is a symbol of modern woman's march towards empowerment and freedom. The Women's Day is celebrated all over the world which sends a strong and clear message across all sections of the society.
Women have broken the four walls of homes and glass ceilings and entered into almost all sectors-science and technology, education, art and culture, sports and games and public space, he said.
The Chief Minister added that under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padao', Safe Motherhood and several other projects had been launched to hasten the process of development of women in all the spectrums of society.
Under the Prime Minister 'Ujjwala scheme' about five crore poor families would be provided with domestic gas connections in the entire country in due course of time. This is a crucial project for the self-respect and health of poor women, he said.
Singh said that several schemes had been launched for the welfare and rapid progress of women in the State. The State Government had provided 50 per cent reservation for women in the three-tier panchayat raj system.They are provided with free education from Standard 1 to Graduation, he said.
The Chief Minister added that 35 lakh families would be given domestic gas connections in three years time in the entire State, he said.
Nine lakh women had already been provided with gas connections at a nominal rate of `200 each. Focus is also on the health concerns of women. Institutional deliveries had reached 70 per cent under the 'Janani Suraksha' Yojana, Singh said.
Women's self-help groups are being empowered with finances and are being linked with many employment oriented projects. The authorities are concentrating upon up-gradation of girls' skills. The State had been making efforts to make available markets for the products of women's self-help groups, he said.