Minister assures reservation to women

Patna, Jun 28 : State Urban Development Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey today assured to accord 50 per cent reservation to women in civic body elections to be held in 2007.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies, (Lucknow) here, Mr Choubey said his government was committed to overall development of women.

Describing women asMahashakti(superpower), Mr Choubey referred to the pivotal role played by them down the ages.

He said it was 'woman-power' which actually moved 'JP' Jai Prakash Narayan the pioneer of students movement) to join the movement at the time when he was perturbed with the violence in the agitation.

The minister clarified that his assurance was not at all aimed atvotepolitics but was for the development of the society as a whole.

''Women had the potential to give a constructive direction to the society and the nation,'' he said adding that the representation of women in the civic bodies was not up to the mark.

Only 10 to 15 per cent women were elected in the existing 122 civic bodies, he said pointing out that 50 per cent reservation would pave the way for their strong participation in such bodies.

He assured that the reservation would be given on the pattern it was accorded to the women in the recently held Panchayat elections.

UNI