Jaipur, Mar 25 (PTI) Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Tuesday said the Rajasthan government is working with determination to ensure the upliftment and welfare of women.

The chief minister was speaking at a women's conference in Barmer as part of Rajasthan Day celebrations. He also met beneficiaries of various schemes at the event, according to an official statement.

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"Women, who strengthen the foundation of family, are the pivot of our society. Our double-engine government is working with determination for the upliftment and welfare of women and making half of the population self-reliant in every field," Sharma said.

Respect for women is the first step towards the development of society, state and country. This why the government has dedicated the first programme of Rajasthan Day celebrations to 'Matri Shakti' (women power), he said.

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Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister said, the central and state governments have taken unprecedented decisions for women's welfare.

According to the statement, Sharma interacted with beneficiaries of various schemes at the event and distributed assistance payable under the schemes to them.

Livelihood promotion funds worth about Rs 100 crore were transferred to women groups and induction cooktops were distributed to 5,000 women. The chief minister also handed over selection letters to 164 girl students under the Swami Vivekanand Scholarship for Academic Excellence, the statement said.

(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)