Women's Mahapanchayat in April

Bhopal, Mar 08: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the first Women's Mahapanchayat of the state would be held in April. Chouhan said that an atmosphere is being created in Madhya Pradesh where every day would be Women's Day. The programmes for women's welfare are being launched by Madhya Pradesh government with full intensity and sincerity.

Chouhan was addressing the award giving ceremony of State-level Viajyaraje Scindia Memorial Social Service and Rani Avanti Bai Memorial Bravery awards for the year 2007 held on the occasion of International Women's Day. Extending his heartfelt congratulations to the award winners, the Chief Minister said that their noble deeds would give inspiration and honour to womenfolk of the state. He said that women's empowerment is our priority. The state government with all its might is engaged in eradicating the social evil of considering birth of a girl a burden. While citing Ladli Laxmi Yojana and other schemes for women's welfare, Shri Chouhan said that by effectively implementing these programmes we would soon become leading state in the country in the field of women's welfare.

He said that concerning superintendent of police would he held responsible for failure in checking crimes against women effectively. The Chief Minister also gave information that honorarium of Anganwadi workers has been raised to Rs 2000 per month from Rs 1000 per month. He said that the figure of institutional delivery in the state has risen to 60 percent from 23 percent. The state government is trying to ensure cent percent institutional delivery. The Chief Minister said that efforts are afoot for equal responsibilities to women apart from equal rights. For this purpose 50 percent posts in the local bodies have been reserved for women.

Chief Minister Chouhan and chief guest and Rajya Sabha Member Sushma Swaraj honoured Ms Janak Palta Migiligan of Indore with Vijayaraje Scindia Social Service Award and Priya Saini with Rani Avanti Bai Bravery Award. Each award contained Rs one lakh, citation, memento and shawl-Shriphal. On this occasion, Chief Minister and Ms Swaraj performed the Bhumi Poojan of state's first Women's Rest House in the Bal Bhawan premises. In the first phase this rest house would be two-storey. Its construction cost would be Rs one crore.

Sushma Swaraj said that Madhya Pradesh government led by Shivraj Singh was leading among all the states of the country in women's empowerment. Swaraj said that womenfolk neither want to have an upper hand nor want to play a second fiddle, but want only equal status. She wants be become neither goddess nor maidservant; she must be considered a human being alone and Madhya Pradesh government is doing commendable work of ensuring equal status for them.