Nari Shakti Act boosts women’s role in decision-making, says CM

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said the Nari Shakti Vandan Act will ensure women’s active participation in decision-making, calling it a step towards expanding leadership opportunities for women across the country.

Addressing the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan’ at Vigyan Bhawan, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Gupta said women play a pivotal role in the nation’s progress, development and global identity, and credited the Centre’s policies for strengthening their position in society.

Highlighting the historical challenges faced by women, she said the country has moved beyond social evils such as sati, child marriage, illiteracy and female foeticide. “There was a time when even the existence of daughters was under threat. Today, the country has moved beyond ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ to an era of ‘Beti Badhao’,” she said.

Gupta said since 2014, women’s dignity and safety have been placed at the centre of governance. She cited initiatives such as the Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana as key measures that have improved the quality of life for women. She added that women are increasingly making strides in education, nutrition and even the armed forces, including flying fighter jets.

Referring to women in leadership roles, the Chief Minister cited examples such as Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman, saying their appointments to key ministries reflect growing trust in women’s leadership.

Calling the Nari Shakti Vandan Act “historic”, Gupta said the provision of 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies is aimed at ensuring greater participation in governance. “This will open up leadership opportunities for nearly 700 million women in the country,” she added.

She also appealed to women to support the initiative by joining the campaign linked to the Act by giving a missed call on 9667173333.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi, MP Savitri Thakur, and National Commission for Women Chairperson Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar were also present at the event, along with women representatives from across the country.