BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday described the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023 as a historic and transformative step towards women empowerment and asserted it will redefine India’s democratic framework by ensuring greater participation of women in policymaking.
Addressing a Nari Shakti Vandan town hall meeting at railway auditorium here in the city, Majhi said the legislation is not merely a law but the flight of aspirations of millions of women across the country. Calling it one of the most significant reforms in independent India, he said the Act guarantees one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the chief minister said the past decades have witnessed a series of welfare initiatives aimed at women development with the one-third reservation law being the most path-breaking.
“When a woman leads, she empowers not just herself but the entire society,” Majhi said and added that women in Odisha have already demonstrated leadership at the grassroots level, with nearly 14.5 lakh women elected to panchayati raj institutions. The new legislation would further strengthen their role in governance and decision-making at higher levels.
Emphasising the state’s vision, the chief minister said building a ‘prosperous Odisha for a developed India’ requires making women economically self-reliant. He cited initiatives like the Subhadra Yojana and Lakhpati Didi scheme as key drivers of financial independence for women.
“Determination and willpower can ensure that women excel in every field,” Majhi said, urging greater participation of women in sectors such as digital banking and modern agriculture. He reiterated the government’s goal of transforming every woman in the state into a “Lakhpati Didi”.
Speaker of Odisha Assembly Surama Padhy stressed the need for equitable representation of women in both Parliament and Assemblies, while deputy chief minister Pravati Parida underlined that the Act would ease women’s transition from grassroots governance to national leadership.
Iconic litterateur and Jnanpith awardee Pratibha Ray said empowering women at every household level could transform the society at large.
Chief secretary Anu Garg, Odissi guru Aruna Mohanty and famous athlete Anuradha Biswal attended the event and hailed the Act.
In support of the proposed amendments to Nari Shakti Vandan Act, a scooter and bike rally was organised by the state BJP Yuva Morcha on the day. Hundreds of women and young girls participated in the rally, which started from AG Square and concluded at Rama Devi Women’s University.