New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly Vijender Gupta on Monday said that women’s empowerment is not just a slogan but a collective responsibility that requires commitment from all sections of society.
Addressing an event at Delhi University to mark International Women’s Day, Gupta stressed that no nation can progress without the active participation of women.
He described women as the backbone of society and stated that a country cannot be economically or socially strong without ensuring gender equality.
Referring to this year’s International Women’s Day theme “Accelerate Action,” he sought concrete measures to promote gender equality at a faster pace.
He emphasised that this day serves as a reminder to strengthen efforts for women’s safety, education, employment, and leadership.
Citing key statistics, Gupta pointed out that India’s sex ratio improved from 918 in 2014 to 933 in 2022.
Women’s participation in the workforce has also seen significant growth, rising from 23 per cent in 2017-18 to 42 per cent in 2023-24, he said.
The number of female officers in the Indian Armed Forces has increased 3.5 times since 2015; 48 per cent of startups in India now have at least one female director and nearly 50 per cent of STEM graduates in India are women — the highest percentage in the world, he said.
Highlighting efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for women’s empowerment, Gupta said 56 per cent of accounts opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana belong to women, promoting financial inclusion.
He said 70 per cent of loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana have been sanctioned to women entrepreneurs, supporting their business aspirations.
“Over 10 crore women have received free LPG connections under the Ujjwala Yojana, improving their health and quality of life,” he said.
More than 4 crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana have been allotted solely or jointly in women’s names, ensuring housing security, he said.
The passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill has significantly boosted women’s representation in politics, he said.
–IANS
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