Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Acknowledges Rajiv Gandhi’s Role in Empowering Women Through Constitutional Amendments

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Acknowledges Rajiv Gandhi’s Role in Empowering Women Through Constitutional Amendments

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh praised former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for his instrumental role in introducing the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments, which have played a pivotal role in changing societal attitudes towards the girl child and empowering women to actively participate in decision-making processes. He noted that Rajiv Gandhi’s leadership resulted in the provision of 33 percent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institutions, leading to women holding 56 percent of total seats in the state’s Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day capacity-building workshop on the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act 1994, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh also highlighted the positive impact of earlier amendments in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) on the socio-political landscape of India. He emphasized that the Women’s Reservation Bill, which ensures 33 percent of seats in assemblies and Parliament for women, has gained bipartisan support, furthering the cause of women’s empowerment.

The Chief Minister commended Himachal Pradesh for achieving a commendable sex ratio of 950 females per thousand males, as per the Sample Registration System (SRS) data 2018-20, making it the third-best in the country. He also praised the state’s efforts to prevent female feticide.

During the event, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh announced the enhancement of incentive amounts for families adopting family planning measures after having one daughter. The incentive under the Indira Gandhi Balika Suraksha Yojna will increase from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 2 lakh. Likewise, the incentive for family planning after two daughters will rise from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 1 lakh.

He also launched an ‘online registration system’ for Sonography machines under the PC & PNDT Act, offering convenience and real-time application tracking.

Sukhvinder Singh expressed his satisfaction with the active participation of girls in various fields, highlighting their achievements and emergence as leaders in multiple domains. He emphasized the state government’s commitment to healthcare reforms and the incorporation of modern technology to provide quality healthcare services. Specialist doctors have been appointed in 36 assembly constituencies, with plans to appoint specialists in the remaining 32 institutions. Health institutions are equipped with modern equipment, and health cards linked to Aadhar are being introduced for easy access to medical history.

He commended Bharmour, Nankhadi, and Janjheli blocks for their efforts in raising awareness and curbing instances of female feticide, acknowledging their contributions to achieving better child sex ratios.

Health Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil reiterated the need for strict action against those conducting sex detection tests and emphasized the changing societal attitudes toward protecting the girl child. The state government is actively promoting awareness campaigns to achieve a better sex ratio in Himachal Pradesh, following strict legal provisions related to criminal investigations.