Pushkar Singh Dhami: Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami celebrated the self-confidence, entrepreneurship and traditional skills of women by participating in the “Chief Minister Sashakt Brahmin Utsav” organized at Chhinigoth, Tanakpur on Thursday. On reaching the programme, the Chief Minister expressed happiness after seeing the enthusiasm of the women and daughters. He said that “The dream of ‘Developed Uttarakhand’ will be realized only with the participation of women. The state government is not only supporting women, but is committed to making them empowered and self-reliant.”
Chief Minister Shri Dhami visited various live stalls set up at the festival venue and directly experienced the labor and skills of women. She not only visited the exhibition but also inspired women by personally participating in their activities. Chief Minister Shri Dhami visited a stall and participated in the traditional process of making buttermilk with women. He said that traditional food items are related to both our culture and health, connecting them with the market in modern form is the need of the hour.
Reaching the stall of women engaged in electrical work, the Chief Minister gave shape to the mantra of “Local for Vocal” by soldering Diwali lights with the women. “Women are no longer just consumers, but producers and entrepreneurs – this is the real picture of self-reliant India,” she said. The Chief Minister called for purchasing more and more products made by women on Diwali.
Appreciating the agriculture based activities, the Chief Minister also cooperated with the women in the process of threshing paddy in mortar. He said that traditional agricultural practices and handmade foods are today directly linked to health, tourism and rural economy. He described the contribution of women in this direction as the backbone of the rural economy of the state. During the program, the Chief Minister tasted the local cuisine and praised the products prepared by women’s groups. He said that in the coming time, market link will be provided to women’s products through such festivals in every district of Uttarakhand.
The Chief Minister distributed ‘Mahalakshmi Kit’ operated by the Women and Child Development Department to the beneficiary women. After this, he fed Baal Bhog to the children with his own hands and had a heartfelt conversation with them. The Chief Minister said that “Every child should be healthy and educated – this is the first condition of a strong society.” Praising the contribution of Anganwadi workers and assistants, he said that they are the strongest link to make nutrition campaign and elementary education successful at the grassroots level. At the iron industry stall run by women, Chief Minister Shri Dhami himself spun the charkha, heated the furnace and participated in the process of manufacturing iron products. He said that this sector can also become an example of women’s technical proficiency and self-reliance.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is providing all possible financial, technical and marketing support to women groups to pursue them in collective enterprises, product manufacturing, transport services and handicrafts sectors. He said that “The state will become strong only through the empowerment of women. Only when sisters will be self-reliant, Uttarakhand will become self-reliant.”
Shri Dhami said, “Woman, you are power, woman, you are the smile of the universe; only when women are empowered, Uttarakhand will be prosperous.” While giving advance wishes to all the people on the occasion of Diwali, he said that “Women are the embodiment of Lakshmi, their empowerment strengthens the family, society and nation.” Referring to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s mantra ‘Nari Tu Narayani’, he said that the Central and State Governments are continuously working for the welfare of mother power. Women have been empowered through schemes like Ujjwala, Jan Dhan, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Awas, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao and Nari Shakti Vandan Act.
He said that more than 5 lakh women are engaged in self-employment through about 70 thousand self-help groups in the state, out of which 1.65 lakh have become ‘Lakhpati Didi’. The Chief Minister said that the government has implemented 30 percent reservation for women in government services and historic work has been done to protect the rights of women by implementing the Uniform Civil Code. The Chief Minister said that the state government is fully dedicated to the respect, safety and self-reliance of the youth, mothers and sisters. He called upon the mother power to participate in the creation of self-reliant Uttarakhand by making the mantra of ‘Local for Vocal’ a mass movement.
Minister of State Shyam Narayan Pandey, District President Govind Samant, State General Secretary Mukesh Kalkhudia, District Panchayat President Anand Adhikari, Block Chief Anchala Bohra, District Panchayat Member Saraswati Chand, Municipality President Champawat Prema Pandey, Tanakpur Municipality President Vipin Kumar, Banbasa Nagar Panchayat President Rekha Devi, District Magistrate Mr. Manish Kumar, Superintendent of Police Ajay Ganapati, Chief Development Officer Dr. GS Khati were present in the program. public representative, Departmental officers, distinguished citizens and thousands of people were present.
