PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Uttarakhand State Commission for Women (USCW) chairwoman Kusum Kandwal on Saturday called the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, a historic constitutional reform that will transform women from being beneficiaries of welfare schemes to active policy makers in India’s democratic framework.
Addressing the media, Kandwal stated that the legislation marks a decisive step toward strengthening women’s representation in legislative institutions and advancing inclusive governance, aligning with the vision of a developed India. The constitutional amendment, passed by Parliament in September 2023, provides for a 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, legislative Assemblies and the Delhi Assembly. Kandwal noted that women’s representation in the Lok Sabha has increased from 22 members in 1952 to 75 in 2024, but the figure still falls short of equitable participation in policy-making structures. She referred to the parliamentary process scheduled for April 16 as a crucial procedural step toward operationalising the Act.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kandwal stated that the country is transitioning from women-centric welfare to women-led development. “When women lead governance processes, economic growth accelerates and development outcomes become more inclusive,” she said.
Highlighting supporting indicators, she said that nearly 69 per cent of loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana have been extended to women beneficiaries, more than 32 crore women hold Jan Dhan bank accounts and girls’ enrollment at the secondary level has reached 80.2 per cent under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. She added that the women account for about 43 per cent of STEM graduates nationwide and over 4.6 crore Sukanya Samriddhi accounts have been opened.
Stating that the USCW will support effective implementation of the Act in Uttarakhand, she urged wider social cooperation to enhance women’s role in governance and nation-building.
