Congress is committed to women's welfare: Sonia Gandhi

Jammu, Apr 12 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi said on Saturday that her party is committed to the welfare of women, and would undertake serious efforts to facilitate reservation for women in Parliament.

Gandhi was addressing a rally seen as the beginning of her party's campaign for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and next year's Lok Sabha polls.

"Creating reservation for women in democratic institutions was the last desire of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Women must work together to strengthen the Congress party and ensure its victory in the State," Gandhi said at the one-day long Mahila Congress Convention held at the Parade Ground.

Gandhi also referred to the 1989 Panchayati Raj Scheme, the Anganwadi Movement, the Asha Scheme and the Indira Gandhi Old Age Pension Scheme at the meeting, besides mentioning that the Centre has provided a Rs 4,500 crore development package to the State.

She also complimented State Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on plans for building a mini-township for Kashmiri Pandit migrants at Jagti near Nagrota on the outskirts of Jammu city. She said the State government is constructing over 4,000 houses there to accommodate at least 25,000 displaced people.

This is Sonia's second visit to Jammu and Kashmir in the past fortnight. She last visited the State on March 22 to inaugurate the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar.

ANI