Bageshwar: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said that his government is taking steps to make women strong and self-reliant in the state adding that many women have become self-reliant by joining self-help groups across the country.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Matrishakti Utsav program organized at Kedareshwar Maidan in the Kapkot development block of Bageshwar district on Tuesday.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development schemes of various departments worth about Rs 100 crore. This includes the inauguration of 11 different schemes worth Rs 19 crore and the laying of foundation stone of 26 schemes worth Rs 81 crore.
The Chief Minister also said that in Uttarakhand, the state government has imposed an interim ban on the indiscriminate purchase of land by outsiders in the name of agriculture and horticulture.
"This ban has been imposed on land mafias and those who buy land with wrong intentions. If any business buys land for industry or any other startup, that will benefit the local people, then it is welcome in Uttarakhand.
Addressing the program, the Chief Minister mentioned the establishment of a drug addiction centre in the Bageshwar district.
During the program, the Chief Minister visited the stalls set up by various departments and self-help groups.
The Chief Minister himself also made artefacts in copper vessels and ringal baskets.
On the occasion, he also honoured the brave women of martyrs by worshipping mother power under the slogan Strong Mother Power, Strong Uttarakhand.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the contribution of mother power in the creation of Uttarakhand state cannot be forgotten.
"Mother power takes care of her family as well as the interests of the society and the state. The overall development of a society or nation is possible only with the help of mother power. Hard work and motherly power complement each other. If the mother power of a nation is educated, the present and future of that nation remains secure," he said.
"The daughters illuminate two houses each with their knowledge. In Indian culture, doing 'Kanyadaan' is considered the greatest virtue, but we all should also do 'Vidya Daan' before 'Kanyadaan'," he added.
The Chief Minister said that the stalls set up by various women's groups and the products displayed in this program are working to implement the mantra of "Self-reliant India" given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Today, women are becoming self-reliant by joining self-help groups across the country. Even in Uttarakhand, the sisters of women self-help groups have done unprecedented work in every field. Many works are being done by the state government to make women strong and self-reliant in the state," he said.
"By adopting the principle of "convenience as well as security", revolutionary changes have been made in the field of women empowerment," he added.
The Chief Minister said that along with giving 30 per cent reservation to women in government jobs, the state government has also launched the Chief Minister Women Empowerment Scheme, Chief Minister Mahalakshmi Scheme, Lakhpati Didi Scheme, Chief Minister Aanchal Amrit Scheme, Chief Minister Self-Employment Scheme, Chief Minister Minority Meritorious Scheme, Nanda Gaura Matrivandana Scheme.
The Chief Minister said that the state government, along with implementing the country's toughest anti-copying law in Uttarakhand, also made a law to stop religious conversion, for the first time in the state, action was taken against encroachment on government land on a large scale, against the corrupt. "Continuous action is also going on. The state government is also preparing to implement the Uniform Civil Code of Conduct in Uttarakhand," CM said. —ANI
