Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 11 Apr: Kusum Kandwal, Chairperson of the Uttarakhand State Commission for Women, on Saturday termed the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023 a historic step in India’s democratic journey, reflecting the aspirations of millions of women. Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat media centre, she said the legislation marks a shift from women being beneficiaries of policies to becoming active participants in decision-making, crediting the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She emphasised that true national progress lies in women-led development and said the Act reinforces this vision. Highlighting key initiatives of the past decade, Kandwal noted that nearly 68 per cent of loans under the Mudra Yojana have been extended to women, promoting financial independence and entrepreneurship, while over 10 crore women linked to self-help groups are moving towards self-reliance.
She said the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign has improved social awareness, with girls’ enrolment at the secondary level reaching 80.2 per cent. Over 4.6 crore accounts under the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana have strengthened financial security for girls. Schemes such as Ujjwala, Jal Jeevan Mission providing tap water to 14.45 crore households and Swachh Bharat Mission have enhanced dignity and living conditions for women. Additionally, more than 4.27 crore women have received nutritional support under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
It may be The Act, passed in September 2023, provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and the Delhi Assembly. Kandwal noted that women’s representation in the Lok Sabha has risen from 22 in 1952 to 75 in 2024, though further improvement is needed.
She said Uttarakhand is committed to effective implementation of the Act and expressed confidence that increased participation of women in governance will ensure inclusive and balanced development, contributing to the vision of a developed India by 2047.
