*Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, women have gained a new sense of confidence: CM*
*Effective participation of women representatives makes democracy more sensitive, inclusive and accountable: Chief Minister*
*CM felicitates women representatives at the concluding ceremony of ‘She Is a Change Maker’ programme*
Chandigarh, September 8: Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that women representatives are not merely witnesses to change, but the architects of change. When women participate in the decision-making process, along with their voices, the aspirations of families, society and the nation also reach the centre of decision-making. The active and effective participation of women representatives plays an important role in making democracy more sensitive, inclusive and accountable.
The Chief Minister was addressing the concluding ceremony of the two-day ‘She Is a Change Maker’ programme organised by the National Commission for Women at Surajkund in Faridabad on Tuesday. MLA from Ballabhgarh Sh. Mool Chand Sharma, Badkhal MLA Sh. Dhanesh Adlakha, Municipal Corporation Mayor Praveen Batra Joshi, Haryana State Commission for Women Chairperson Smt. Usha Priyadarshini and Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy were also present on the occasion.
Women MLAs and Legislative Council members from 20 states and two Union Territories participated in the workshop. Various sessions were organised on a range of subjects, including deliberations, innovation, legislative procedures, leadership, communication, policy-making and the effective role of elected representatives.
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini specially thanked National Commission for Women Chairperson Vijaya K. Rahatkar and the entire team of the Commission for successfully organising the workshop and congratulated them. He said that the Commission’s initiative to strengthen the legislative knowledge, leadership capabilities, communication skills and effective participation of women representatives in policy-making was commendable. He said that the theme of the workshop conveyed a powerful message in itself. It was not merely a title, but an idea and a resolve that women are not witnesses to change, but its architects. He said that women representatives do not merely represent their constituencies; they represent a force that guides society, a voice that makes democracy more sensitive, and leadership capabilities that shape the future of the country.
*Women Representatives Welcomed at the Historic Land of Surajkund*
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini welcomed and felicitated women legislators who had arrived from different states of the country on the historic and sacred land of Haryana. He said that this is the land from where Lord Krishna, on the sacred soil of Kurukshetra, gave humanity the message of karma, knowledge and duty. The gathering of women representatives from different states of the country on the historic land of Haryana is a vibrant confluence of India’s democratic diversity, women’s power and the collective resolve towards nation-building.
He said that over the past two days, women representatives from different states had shared their experiences, ideas and working methods. Successful innovations being implemented in different states could serve as inspiration for other states. Good practices are not confined by boundaries; learning from one another helps strengthen good governance.
*Role of an MLA is to Transform the Voice of the People into Policy*
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the Legislative Assembly is not merely a place for making laws, but an important platform for transforming the voice of the people into policy. The effectiveness of an MLA is not measured only by how much they speak in the House, but by how deeply they understand issues, how thoroughly they study the facts and how practical the solutions they propose to public problems are.
He said that raising constituency issues in the House with facts, participating seriously in discussions on Bills and ensuring accountability from the government are the fundamental responsibilities of an alert and responsible elected representative. The role of a woman MLA is even broader, because when a woman MLA speaks in the House, her voice carries not only the expectations of a constituency, but also the concerns of a mother, the dreams of a daughter, and the voices of women’s struggles and aspirations.
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that when women’s voices are included in the decision-making process, sensitivity in policies, inclusiveness in decisions and a sense of justice in governance are strengthened. Women’s participation does not merely change the picture of democracy; it also strengthens the character of democracy.
He said that when a woman sarpanch of a village reaches the decision-making table, it is not just one woman who reaches that table; along with her, the voices of thousands of women from that village also reach there. With this very vision, women’s participation in Panchayati Raj Institutions in Haryana has been strengthened by providing them 50 per cent representation. He said that the development picture cannot be complete without the effective participation of half the population. Today, daughters and daughters-in-law in villages are playing an important role in determining the direction of development of the entire village along with their families. Wherever there is women’s leadership, transparency, sensitivity and accountability are promoted.
*Women Have Gained a New Sense of Confidence Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Leadership*
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that over the past decade, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, numerous schemes and policies have been implemented to bring positive changes in the lives of women. From Jan Dhan accounts to the Mudra Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana and self-help groups, continuous efforts have been made to economically empower women.
He said that women’s empowerment truly becomes visible on the ground when a woman becomes economically stronger, gains access to education and acquires the ability to make her own decisions.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by taking forward the historic decision related to women’s reservation that had remained pending for a long time, gave a new direction to women’s political participation through the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’.
This is an important step towards providing women with more effective participation in the decision-making process, he said.
*Several Initiatives Undertaken in Haryana for Women’s Empowerment*
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the state government is giving the highest priority to the economic, social and educational empowerment of women and girls.
Under the ‘Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi’ scheme, sisters and daughters are being provided financial assistance of ₹2,100 every month. Under the scheme, an amount of around ₹2,000 crore has so far been transferred to the bank accounts of beneficiary women in 10 instalments.
He said that through the ‘Har Ghar-Har Grihini’ scheme, around 15 lakh families in the state are being provided LPG cylinders for just ₹500. More than ₹340 crore in subsidy has so far been provided to beneficiaries under the scheme.
The government’s objective is to provide relief to women from inflation while also ensuring the protection of their health and dignity, he said.
He said that the positive impact of government policies is also visible in the fields of startups and entrepreneurship. Today, women’s participation in Haryana’s startups has reached 50 per cent, and the government aims to increase it to 60 per cent.
He said that 500 women cultural centres have been established in the state to provide an appropriate platform to women’s talent, art and culture.
*‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ Campaign Has Changed Mindsets*
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that it is a matter of pride for Haryana that Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi launched the ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ campaign from the historic land of Panipat on January 22, 2015.
At that time, the state’s sex ratio was a matter of concern, but sustained awareness and social efforts have resulted in significant improvement.
He said that when girls in Haryana were provided opportunities, they proved their talent and capabilities in every field.
From sports to the armed forces, science, education, medicine, administration and politics, the daughters of Haryana have established their identity.
He said that when daughters are given opportunities, they work to take that trust even higher. Daughters can achieve every goal, and they have proved this through their achievements.
*Responsibilities of Women Representatives Have Also Increased in the Digital Age*
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that technology and social media have completely transformed the way elected representatives communicate with the public.
Through digital platforms, representatives can convey their views to millions of people within moments. However, every power also comes with responsibility.
He said that unverified information, the spread of misinformation, online abuse and digital violence are new challenges today.
Therefore, women representatives have a responsibility not merely to use technology as a medium of communication, but to make it an effective tool for public service, transparency and accountability. They should also contribute towards creating a safe digital environment where every woman can express herself without fear.
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the message of ‘Change Maker’ will become meaningful only when the discussions held during the workshop translate into visible impact on policies and people’s lives.
He expressed confidence that women representatives would effectively implement the experiences gained here in their respective states and contribute towards making democracy more sensitive, inclusive and outcome-oriented.
At the conclusion of the programme, he congratulated and extended his best wishes to all the women representatives for the successful workshop.
He said that women’s voices are not merely voices, but the trust of the people. Women have the ability to create a new identity for India along with their own identity and, while carrying tradition with them and moving towards the future, they are playing an important role in nation-building.
National Commission for Women Chairperson Vijaya K. Rahatkar said that the objective of the two-day ‘She Is A Change Maker’ programme was to strengthen the leadership capabilities and effective public representation of women representatives.
Women representatives from around 22 states, including Union Territories, participated in the programme and discussed subjects such as women-centric legislation, economic empowerment, governance, leadership and public representation.
She called upon women legislators to implement the knowledge and experiences gained from the programme in their respective states and to keep the network created through the programme active while working towards the welfare and empowerment of women.
Expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini and the Haryana Government for their support, she said that women’s leadership is an important part of good governance and nation-building.
