President of India Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday interacted with members of Self Help Groups (SHGs), entrepreneurs and farmers from different parts of the State, who had assembled at Baljek in Jengjal, West Garo Hills in presence of Governor Phagu Chauhan, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Power Minister A.T. Mondal and Education Minister Rakkam Sangma.
Delivering her address, the President lauded the efforts of the State Government for promoting women led SHGs in the State. She said, there was a time when women would be hardly seen in meetings, but today India is moving forward and the women are part of India’s growth story.
The President said that the empowerment of women in social, economic, political and spiritual spheres is essential for the country to realise its vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047. She underlined that India’s women are making a mark and paving way for other women in every field whether it is defence, science and technology, sports, education, entrepreneurship, agriculture, or any other field. They just need some words and small actions of encouragement, a pat on the back.
The President said that the idea of women-led-development can be implemented only when the women get the freedom to make their choices. With economic independence, this has become a reality to some extent. “Economic self-reliance brings a greater self-confidence in women”, she said.
The President said that the Government of India is making every possible effort to ensure that women contribute actively and in large numbers in the socio-economic development of the country.
“Several steps have been taken to improve women’s participation in the work-force. The Government has not only taken several steps for the social and economic development of women, but has also taken major steps towards ensuring their political participation. However, there is still a long way to go in the direction of women empowerment”, she added.
She urged people to start recognizing the value and qualities of the women around them and support them.
The President urged the members of SHGs to keep moving ahead and also hold the hands of other women to take them forward. She said that this is not their journey alone but that of a large number of women in our country who are yet to explore the opportunities that lay beyond the four walls of their homes. They must become an inspiration for other women of their region and the nation.
After delivering her address, she came to meet the assembled women in the gathering and interacted with them for close to 30 minutes and visited various stalls that were put up by SHGs displaying various products from the region.
Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan greeted the President of India for her presence in the State and termed her visit as historic. Governor said that she is an inspiration to women across the country and to the tribal community. He said that women in the State are in the forefront in every sphere. “The women in the State enjoy special privileges in the society and they take active participation in all walks of life”, he said.
He also lauded the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his special attention to promote growth and development in the North Eastern region. “Our women are contributing to Meghalaya’s growth story”, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said, “Meghalaya, as you are aware, is a uniquely matrilineal society. Women have historically worked shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts in contribution towards our economic growth and social progress”.
He also said that the assembled women, close to about 10,000, have made outstanding contributions to the Self-Help Group movement of the state. “I feel it is of immense symbolic value that the woman discharging the supreme job in the country should preside upon the occasion. Welfare and progress of women is apex on our governance agenda. A host of policies and schemes of the state government are targeted specifically towards the needs of women”, he informed.
The Chief Minister also informed that beyond health & wellbeing, the State government has also laid emphasis on women empowerment. “We have reserved 50% seats and the post of Secretary for women in Village Employment Councils (VECs) across the state, to provide them with equitable share in decision making”, he said.
Stating that in the last five years the Government has put in lot of thrust to promote SHGs, he said, “Through National Rural Livelihoods Mission, more than 44,000 SHGs impacting 4.37 lakh households (covering 90% of the rural households) have been supported with a fund of 348 crores.”
In today’s programme, a support of 25 crores as community investment fund benefitting 1,422 Village organisations were handed over by the President of India.
Chief Minister also informed that with the objective of offering women entrepreneurs easy access to credit for expanding their business, the state government has formalized 200 women’s cluster-level organizations as credit cooperative societies to provide banking services in the remote areas and foster financial literacy among women.
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