Governor, CM harp on women empowerment

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 8: While Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi has said that women empowerment is the key to increase their participation in decision-making, the most important input to socio-economic development, Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal said that no society can run smoothly without women.

Prof. Mukhi said this while iugurating a one-day tiol semir on ‘Marketing Access Initiatives for Export from NER Women Entrepreneurs-cum-Women Entrepreneurs Conclave’ at Assam Administrative Staff College, Guwahati on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Mukhi said that in developing countries like India, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) had a crucial role to play because of their potential contributions to employment creation, improvement of income distribution, poverty reduction and development of rural economy. Besides, MSMEs were considered as an important place for women, especially in rural areas. MSMEs can provide an avenue for development of women’s ability as entrepreneurs, he said.

According to Prof. Mukhi, proper awareness is necessary so that schemes and policies designed for women and youth reach them and the civil society organizations and community youth volunteers play a critical role in linking women and youth in the remotest parts of society to government schemes and initiatives that directly benefit them. “As we’re aware that most of the women entrepreneurs from the Northeast are engaged in conventiol sectors like food processing, sericulture, handloom & handicraft, beauty and wellness. Creation of a market chain will hugely help our women folk to empower themselves economically and socially,” Prof Mukhi said.

The Governor said that women empowerment itself signifies social rights, political rights, economic stability, judicial strength and all other rights exclusive to women. Stating that there should be no discrimition between men and woman the Governor urged the women folk to come forward and reap the benefits of government schemes.

The semir was organized by Laghu Udyog Bharti, NE Region in association with MSME-Development Institute, Small Industries Development Bank of India(SIDBI), Guwahati  and MSME Foundation New Delhi.

MLA Angoorlata Deka, Director of MSME-Development Institute M. Sreenivasulu, Additiol Development Commissioner, MSME, New Delhi Piyush Srivastava also spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, taking part at the function on the occasion of the Day organized by the Social Welfare Department and the State Social Welfare Board at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here, the Chief Minister said: “A society can make stride only if man and woman take equitable responsibility. Women play a major role in maintaining peace, coordition and reforms in society. He appealed to women to play an immense role in the conservation of ture and environment.”

Meanwhile, women boxer Ankushita Boro, who is the brand ambassador of Kamrup (M) for ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padao’ movement, was felicitated on the occasion.  MLAs Angoorlata Deka and Suman Haripriya were also present at the function.