ACCOLADE FOR SIKKIM'S WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

During the session, a charter of demands was prepared bringing in the fore demands and suggestions pertaining to the matter of women in Sikkim. The same was submitted to the chief guest and the Chief Minister today by Ms Phurmit Lepcha, Convener to Core Committee
GANGTOK, April 28: The valedictory function of three days long Mahila Shakti Abhiyan today concluded in a happy note witnessing the Minister for Rural Management Development Department, government of India, Mani Shanker Aiyer as chief guest, along with the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling.
Organised mainly to sensitise the women community towards public representations through Panchayti Raj system, the first two days saw a deliberate discussions on empowerment of the women folk.
Also during the session, a charter of demands was prepared bringing in the fore demands and suggestions pertaining to the matter of women in Sikkim. The same was submitted to the chief guest and the Chief Minister today by Ms Phurmit Lepcha, Convener to Core Committee.
Impressed with the initiatives of Sikkimese women, the chief guest Mani Shanker Aiyer said Sikkim stands high in India in terms of women empowerment. ‘Beware of Manipur’, said Aiyer informing that Manipur has joined the race at par with Sikkim, thereby called for more active and progressive works from this tiny Himalayan state in order to maintain its stand.
Aiyer also implored the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling to increase seat reservation of women to 50% from 33% like in the states of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh in Panchayati Raj system. He also notified that the said Abhiyan was initiated a year back and Sikkim is the eighth state, where the Abhiyan is being held.
Calling for more women representatives from Sikkim, he also invited consolidation of speeding Panchayat Yuva Sakhti Abhiyan in Sikkim along with the rest of the country. Placing statistical inputs, he notified that out of 32 lakhs Panchayat representatives 12 lakhs comprises of empowered women.
Likewise, the Chief Minister in his brief address brought into notice the various empowerment programmes under the Sikkim Democratic Front’s (SDF) governance. He said SDF governance has created many milestones in empowering women. Drafting of women friendly policies, asserting the dignity of women, seat reservations, thirty per cent reservation in higher studies, allocation of various grants such as widow, maternity are few achievements to be mentioned, Chamling added.
The Chief Minister further said, under his governance Sikkim became the first state to set up a women speaker in the Assembly with other cabinet ranks.