With a view to ensuring women’s participation in administration as well as to strengthen women empowerment at grass root level, Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi, while addressing a Mega Women’s Convention (Virat Mahila Sammelan) of Central Gujarat in Vadodara, appealed the younger generation of the state to contribute as many as 100 hours during the year long celebration of Swarnim Gujarat. Of these 100 hours, the youth should play a positive role either in the field of which he or she is interested. The youth, he added, can contribute either in the field of education, health, energy conservation or environment.
Thousands of women from Vadodara, Dahod, Godhra, Bharuch, Narmada, and Anand attended the convention that was held at Ansuya Leprosy Hospital ground at Ajwa road in Vadodara.
Shri Narendra Modi also disbursed various welfare schemes to women beneficiaries at this convention. As many as 1731 women of Central Gujarat were given away assets and cash assistance worth Rs. 48.42 lakh under various women welfare and development schemes.Aiming to encourage women in sports activities, scholarship worth Rs. 5,20,800 were given to 109 sportswomen of Central Gujarat while 126 women were benefited with Rs. 21 lakh 08 thousand cash assistance, under Mata Yashoda Award scheme at the convention. At least 1280 girls were given away savings certificates worth Rs. 8 lakh under Balika Samruddhi Yojna while Rs. 3.5 lakh were given from Mata Yashoda Award Gaurav Fund to seven women.
Women and Child Welfare minister Shrimati Anandiben Patel and Social Justice and Empowerment minister Shri Fakirbhai Vaghela also spoke on the occasion.Three sports women were also awarded with special trophy for their achievement in archery at National level.
The CM also dedicated five Anganwadi Mobile Vans purchased at the cost of Rs. 12, 35,636 for the Anganwadis of Chota Udepur, Dahod, Narmada, Bharuch and panchmahals. As many as 245 trained widows, for self employment, were given away widow aid kits worth Rs. 12.25 lakh. For the first time in the country, Anganwadi workers were given cooker, gas connections and burners.
Parliamentary Secretary Yogesh Patel, Mayor Balkrishna Shukla, MLAs from Vadodara, Narmada and Anand, Sports and Youth Culture secretary Bhagyesh Jha, collector Vijay Nehra, Municipal Commissioner M. K. Das and District Development Officer L. C. Patel were present on the occasion.
The CM will address three more Mega Women Conventions in Rajkot, Surat and Ahmedabad by tomorrow.
