Udupi: On the occasion of the International Women’s Day celebration, the Zilla Panchayat, the Women and Child Development Department, the Paryaya Shree Krishna Math, the district and Taluk Mahila Mandaligala Okkuta, Human Rights National Parishat, Shree Shakthi Groups and Dharmasthala Rural Development Project jointly organised World Women’s Day celebration at Rajangana here on Saturday, March 14.
Prior to the stage function, a jatha was organised from the Service Bus-Stand to Rajangana. Sarala B Kanchan, President of District Women’s Group Udupi, flagged off the jatha.
The stage programme began with an invocation. Sarala B Kanchan welcomed the gathering. Savitha Shivanand Kotian, President of Udupi Zilla Panchayat, inaugurated the programme by lighting the lamp. Pramod Madhwaraj, MLA of Udupi, presided over the function.
In his presidential address, Pramod Madhwarj said that there is a 50% reservation for women to contest for elections in the Panchayat Raj system but their participation is not satisfactory. “In the coming days, women should contest in the Gram Panchayat elections. The developmental projects implemented by the government can be effectively implemented at Gram Panchayat levels with the active participation of women in Gram Panchayat elections, their villages will witness all round development,” he added.
“The Siddaramaiah led government has been prominently focusing on women empowerment. The funds given to self help groups have been increased from Rs 5000 to Rs 25000. The government in the budget has announced that 50 kg of rice will be provided to BPL card holders free of cost. Rice and wheat will also be given to the APL card holders. The loan extended to self help groups has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.”
The honorarium to Anganwadi workers has been increased to Rs 500 while that to their assistants has been increased to Rs 250.
Veronica Cornelio president KSDIL, Yuvaraj president CMC Udupi, Indira Shetty president social justice standing committee zilla panchyat, Ida Gibba D’Souza, Mallika Balakrishna Poojary, Gopi K Naik ZP member, Uday Kumar Shetty, Jayashree Krishnaraj president and vice president of Human Rights national council Udupi, Gracy Gonsalves Director CWC, Sheela K Shetty, Vasanthi Rao Koradkal, Sarasu Bangera and others were present.
