Jaipur, March 7 (IANS) Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said that women form the strongest foundation of a family, and if that foundation weakens, the entire structure of the household is shaken.

She was addressing the International Women’s Day Felicitation and Awards Ceremony organised at JECRC University in Jaipur.

Raje said that women’s representation in politics is still not adequate. To address this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which ensures 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.

She emphasised that women must take the lead in their own progress and work collectively for the welfare and empowerment of other women. The former CM added that she never liked hearing that society is male-dominated, as it is women who give birth to men. According to her, society should recognise the equal role of both men and women.

Reflecting on her tenure as Chief Minister, Raje highlighted the launch of the Bhamashah Scheme in 2008, which aimed to empower women by recognising them as the heads of families.

She also noted that her government introduced 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institutions in Rajasthan.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Raje encouraged women to move forward with confidence, take independent decisions for themselves and their families, and strive for economic self-reliance. She urged successful women to support and uplift others, emphasising that patience and perseverance eventually lead to success.

Highlighting progress in women’s empowerment, she said that when India became independent in 1947, women’s literacy rate was around 8 per cent, which has now risen to nearly 68 per cent. Women’s enrolment in higher education has reached nearly 50 per cent, and India now has around 2 crore women entrepreneurs. Nearly 40 per cent of participants in the MSME sector are women.

She further noted that women now constitute around 26 per cent of India’s IAS officers, compared to just one woman IAS officer in 1951. The Indian Armed Forces have over 10,000 women officers, while around 8 per cent of CEOs in the country are women. Women also account for about 41 per cent of successful candidates in the UPSC Civil Services examinations.

Raje said that pioneering women such as former President Pratibha Patil, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, India’s first woman IAS officer Anna Rajam Malhotra and the first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi have demonstrated that education and proper guidance are the keys to women’s success.

She also cited President Droupadi Murmu as an inspiring example of how education and determination can help women reach the highest offices in the country.

The event was attended by Chairman of JECRC University O.P. Agarwal, President Victor Gamber, Vice Chairpersons Amit Agarwal and Arpit Agarwal, along with university officials, faculty members and other dignitaries.

–IANS

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