Fifty pc posts reserved for women in MP local bodies

Bhopal, Mar 21 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh government has reserved 50 per cent posts for women in urban local bodies and three-tier panchayati raj institutions, Women and Child Development Minister Kusum Mehdele announced in the Assembly today.

A decision in this regard was taken at today's Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ms Mehdele said while replying to the debate on budgetary demands of the Social Justice, Women and Child Development departments for 2007-08. The demands were passed by voice vote.

Ms Mehdele requested the opposition Congress to persuade the Central government to implement women's reservation.

She said 9,914 aanganwadi centres would be set up in the next fiscal, while 650 centres would be constructed incurring a cost of Rs 12.09 crore.

Following a Supreme Court directive, the government abolished a contract system for supplying eatables to the centres. Instead of dalia, about 20 varieties of eatables were being distributed.

Ms Mehdele said bal bhavans would be developed at all divisional towns on the pattern of one in the state capital. The government had launched various programmes to improve the gender balance and nutrition level among children and expectant women. Innovative programmes such as celebrating birthdays of children and felicitating pregnant women were launched at aanganwadis.

Remuneration of aanganwadi workers was being raised by Rs 300 and the assistant by Rs 150 per month, while 50 per cent posts of supervisors would be filled up from among the workers.

The Minister said construction of the Women and Child Development Directorate building would begin next month.

She said 532 Below Poverty Line families insured under the Vivekanand Group Insurance Scheme had been provided Rs 2.36 crore while 544 cases were pending. A total of 44 lakh families were insured under the Scheme.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi sought the rise in social security pension for destitutes at par with the Centre and a special package for mentally-retarded children from the government.

Ms Devi condemned attempts by the Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad workers to harass students celebrating Valentine's Day. She also sought response whether the state's Bharatiya Janata Party government would take the initiative for reserving 50 per cent Cabinet berths for women.

UNI