Shimla, Mar 8 (PTI) Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said that the state government is in favor of providing reservations for women as he addressed a public gathering organised on the occasion of International Women's Day in Himachal's Kangra District.

"I try to ensure that women have a role in decision-making. Our government is committed to women's welfare. Today, women are not lagging behind in any field, and women's power is the foundation of making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant," Sukhu said during the event at Chambi Ground in the Shahpur Assembly Constituency.

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He mentioned that the state government is implementing reformative measures, but acknowledged that any change takes time.

He further said that if we do not keep pace with time, we will lag behind.

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The chief minister also noted that former Prime Minister the Late Rajiv Gandhi provided 33 percent reservation to women in Panchayati Raj Institutions through a Constitutional amendment.

"This brought about a positive change in the thinking towards women, and today women are sharing responsibilities with men in every field," he said. The Chief Minister also credited senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for being the first to get the bill passed in the Rajya Sabha to provide reservation for women in the Vidhan Sabha and Parliament.

He mentioned that the state government amended land laws to give equal rights to daughters.

"Apart from this, the state government increased the reservation for women in police recruitment to 30 percent. Under the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana, the state government bears the entire cost of education for the children of widowed women, ensuring that their studies are not affected," he added.

Sukhu reiterated that the present state government has started providing Rs 18,000 per year to women under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana as promised by the party during the assembly polls.

He also stated that every year, the honorarium for Anganwadi workers, Mini Anganwadi workers, and Anganwadi assistants has been increased, whereas during previous governments' tenure, such increases were only made before elections.

Additionally, several district-level functions were held to celebrate International Women's Day, including in Hamirpur. PTI/COR

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)