Women can be empowered through self-reliance: Sushma

Bhopal, Mar 8 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former union minister Sushma Swaraj today said that women could be empowered through education, economic self-reliance and political will.

''Madhya Pradesh's Ladli Lakshmi Yojana can play a role against female foeticide,'' she said here at a Woman and Child Development Department programme coinciding with International Women's Day.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was among those present.

Ms Swaraj issued a clarion call to anganwadi workers to play a leading role in women's uplift schemes.

''Madhya Pradesh is the first state to provide 50 per cent reservation for women in autonomous corporations and 33 per cent reservation in the Bharatiya Janata Party organisation. A Mahila Mahapanchayat will be conducted here next month with a focus on problems of anganwadi workers and project officers. Institutional delivery has shot up from 22 to 60 per cent,'' said Mr Chouhan.

The Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Social Service Award 2007 was conferred on Indore district's Dr Janak Palta Migiligan and the Rani Avanti Bai Bravery Award was presented to Ujjain's Ms Priya Saini who also received Rs 1 lakh and a citation.

UNI AG-AC 1922