*Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, there should be no politics in women’s empowerment efforts*
*Chief Minister Dhami addressed the special session of the Legislative Assembly held on the Nari Shakti Vandan Act*
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed the special session of the Legislative Assembly, titled “Women’s Respect – Rights in Democracy,” held to discuss the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. The Chief Minister proposed a unanimous resolution in support of the Central Government’s efforts to expedite the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill, which aims to provide 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami began his address by paying tribute to the state agitators as well as women who are symbols of women’s empowerment in Uttarakhand, such as Gaura Devi, Tinchari Mai, Bishani Devi Shah, Jashuli Shaukyan, Kunti Verma, Bhagirathi Devi, Mangala Devi, Hansa Dhanai, Sarla Behen, Belmati Chauhan, Sushila Behen, and Kamala Pant. The Chief Minister appealed to the House, stating that there should be no political involvement in supporting measures being taken to empower women.
The Chief Minister stated that in Sanatan culture, women are revered as goddesses. In the forms of Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi, and Goddess Saraswati, we pay homage to the embodiment of courage, prosperity, and knowledge. He noted that India’s history offers countless inspiring examples of women’s power, from Rani Lakshmibai and Savitribai Phule to astronaut Kalpana Chawla. Women’s power is no longer limited to mere “participation,” but is also taking on a “leadership” role. Whether it’s the historic success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, winning the Cricket World Cup, graduating from the National Defense Academy, or serving on the front lines in the Army and Air Force, these are all examples of women’s power. Similarly, in Uttarakhand, Tilu Rauteli, a symbol of indomitable courage, Jiya Rani, known as Laxmi Bai of Uttarakhand, and Gaura Devi, the pioneer of the Chipko movement, are examples of women’s power.
*Women’s Power Worship Act: A revolutionary step*
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that recognizing the potential of women, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the Nari Shakti Vandan Act in 2023. This landmark act provided for 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. This was not merely an effort to increase the number of women in these houses, but also a revolutionary step towards ensuring women’s participation in the policy-making process. The Prime Minister appealed for cooperation and support from all citizens and political parties to realize this monumental resolution. In this context, a special session of Parliament was convened on April 16th, with the aim of ensuring full rights for half the country’s population by the next Lok Sabha elections. However, opposition parties collectively prevented this historic and transformative initiative from being passed in Parliament. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that when the bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha due to numerical strength, opposition leaders applauded. Seeing that scene, I was reminded of the Mahabharata assembly in which Draupadi was insulted.
Opposition trying to spread confusion*
He said that the opposition is now trying to mislead people on an important issue like women’s reservation. Home Minister Amit Shah had made it clear in the Lok Sabha that there would be no discrimination against any state’s seats through delimitation, which is why the provision for increasing seats was included in the bill. The Chief Minister said that despite being in power for decades, the opposition never took any concrete steps to give women their true rights. But when someone genuinely tried to work for women’s welfare for the first time, they were not allowed to do so. The respected Prime Minister had clearly stated in the Lok Sabha that if this bill is passed, he would be ready to give the opposition all the credit. Chief Minister Dhami said that now the women of the country have fully understood who is sincerely working for their rights.
*Central Government Dedicated to Women’s Empowerment*
Chief Minister Dhami said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon taking office in 2014, began working to prioritize women’s empowerment. This is why the gender budget has increased more than fivefold in the last 11 years. The budget for 2026-27 has allocated over ₹5 lakh crore for the welfare of women and girls, an increase of approximately 12 percent compared to the previous year. The “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign, launched in 2015, has led to significant changes in the sex ratio and girls’ education over the past 11 years. The male-female sex ratio has increased by 12 points over the past 11 years. Additionally, the overall enrollment ratio of girls in secondary schools has increased by more than 3 percent. Furthermore, institutional deliveries have increased from 61 percent to 97 percent over the past 11 years. Today, under the “Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana,” tax-free savings are available with a high interest rate of 8.2 percent to secure a bright future for girls. More than 40 million accounts have been opened under this scheme so far, and more than ₹3.25 lakh crore has been deposited.
Freedom from triple talaq*
Meanwhile, through the “Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana,” financial assistance is being provided to pregnant women and newborns, keeping in mind their health and nutrition. Furthermore, the “Swachh Bharat Mission” has provided dignity and security to women by constructing toilets in every household. This has eradicated the problem of open defecation and protected both the health and dignity of women. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has enacted a law against triple talaq, providing legal protection to Muslim women from this evil practice. Previous governments even attempted to overturn the Supreme Court’s judgment on this issue. He said that it is a result of Prime Minister Modi’s resolve that daughters from ordinary families across the country are now making the journey from the kitchen to Raisina Hill. Examples include President Draupadi Murmu, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Colonel Sophia Qureshi, who played a leading role in “Operation Sindoor.” *Uttarakhand to Benefit*
Chief Minister Dhami said that some people are trying to spread the same lies and misinformation about women’s reservation in Uttarakhand. He emphasized that after delimitation, the total number of seats in the Uttarakhand Assembly could have been 105, of which 35 could have been reserved for women. Similarly, the number of MPs could have increased from 5 to 7 or 8, which would have benefited everyone. Yet, the opposition prevented the bill from passing. He said that if women from ordinary families enter politics, the dynastic politics of some parties will be shut down. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi’s first cabinet, and Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet had only one woman minister each. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s current cabinet has seven women ministers.
*Matri Shakti Strengthening in the State*
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the state government is also committed to women’s empowerment. This year, a provision of approximately ₹20,000 crore has been made under the Gender Budget, which is approximately 16 percent more than last year. The state government is working to empower rural women in the state through the “Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission.”
In addition, through the “Sashakt Bahna Utsav Yojana” and the “Chief Minister Women Self-Help Group Empowerment Scheme,” we have provided new opportunities and empowerment to the state’s women. The government is providing interest-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh to women self-help groups and assistance of up to ₹2 lakh to women through the “Single Women Self-Employment Scheme.” Additionally, under the “Chief Minister Udyamshala Yojana,” work is being done to develop products manufactured by women’s groups into brands. Due to the efforts of the state government, more than 265,000 women in the state have created history in the field of women’s empowerment by becoming “Lakhpati Didi.” The Chief Minister said that the state has implemented 30 percent reservation for women in government services, and 33 percent reservation is also being provided to women in cooperative societies. To promote women in sports, the state government is establishing the state’s first women’s sports college in Lohaghat at a cost of approximately ₹256 crore.
*The resolution will definitely be fulfilled one day*
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the state government has made a historic achievement by implementing the Uniform Civil Code for the first time in the state to protect women’s safety and their rights. The UCC has freed Uttarakhand’s Muslim sisters and daughters from evil practices like halala, iddat, polygamy, child marriage, and triple talaq. Now, demands for the UCC are rising across the country. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the central government has repealed Article 370, built the Lord Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and killed the enemy in his own home. Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will certainly undertake the historic task of ensuring full rights for half the country’s population.
The Chief Minister appealed to the opposition to rise above party interests and adopt a positive and clear stance on the important issue of women’s empowerment, so that half the country’s population can receive their due rights.