Renuka inaugurates 'Cradle Baby Scheme' in Pondy

Puducherry, Apr 3 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury today inaugurated the 'Sonia Gandhi Cradle Baby Scheme' in Puducherry.

Under the scheme, the government had proposed to set up cradle points at maternity hospital and primary healthcare centres. The scheme would be implemented through public-private partnership by involving the NGOs.

Ms Chowdhury called upon women to share the responsibilities of the family. The Centre had constituted a Ministry for Women and Child Development and it was the second achievement for women after Rajiv Gandhi gave them powers in Panchayatraj institutions.

The Ministry had taken initiatives to empower women which had gained them not only money, but respect and mental strength.

She said her Ministry was giving an opportunity for women to learn new skills and gain jobs on par with men with better salary.

The Ministry was in touch with big companys like Tata to provide training to women in driving tractors and welding.

She appealed to the women not to abort girl child and added that Marriage Act was being implemented stringently under which one who sent a girl below 18 years in marriage would land in jail.

The Ministry had also introduced the Domestic Violence (Prohibition) Act to protect women, she added.

Presiding over the function, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, while listing out several women and child welfare schemes being implemented by his government, said it was the responsibility of the government to bring up the children, who were thrown into the streets.

AICC General Secretary V Narayansamy, MP, urged the Territorial Administration to ensure that all the Central schemes reached the needy. He also wanted 33 per cent reservation for women in the Territorial Assembly.

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