E-Paper
No society can become strong by ignoring half of the population: Yogi
Chief minister inaugurates and lays foundation stone of 660 projects worth ₹202 crore for Mirzapur, inspects the under-construction Vindhya Corridor
VARANASI Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that no society can become capable (‘samarth’) and strong (‘shashakt’) by ignoring half of the population.
He said it is the unwavering commitment of the Prime Minister to ensure respect for half of the population (women), adding that the state government is diligently working to fulfil this commitment through various schemes.
The CM was addressing the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan’ programme organised at Babu Upraudh Inter College ground in Mirzapur, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 660 projects worth ₹202 crore for the district. Adityanath also inspected the under-construction Vindhya Corridor and offered prayers at the Maa Vindhyavasini Temple.
He said the grand Vindhya Corridor, which is being constructed at the Maa Vindhyavasini Dham in Mirzapur, will create employment for a large number of youths in the region and expand facilities for devotees.
“Maa Vindhyavasini Dham is the biggest example of women empowerment. It shows us the totality of life in the form of the triangle of Maa Vindhyavasini, Maa Ashtabhuji and Maa Kali. A grand corridor is being constructed in the abode of Maa Vindhyavasini. More devotees have started coming here during Navratri than the number of devotees who used to come here in a year. Keeping this in view, a grand corridor is being constructed in the Dham. It will not only expand facilities for devotees but also create employment for a large number of youths.”
Maa Vindhyavasini, Maa Kalikhoh, and Maa Ashtabhuji are showering their blessings upon the entire state of Uttar Pradesh, he added.
The CM said no society could be strong and powerful by ignoring half the population of the country. “This was made clear by PM Modi, the architect of new India, in 2014, when he launched the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ programme. For the first time after 70 years of independence, it was felt within the country that women are also an important part of the country’s political agenda,” he said.
Adityanath said steps taken by the PM towards women empowerment have become exemplary not only for the country, but for the entire world. Soon after construction of the new Parliament of the country, the demand of half of the country’s population was fulfilled through the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, said the CM, adding that be it Jan Dhan Account, Ujjwala Yojana, Saubhagya Yojana, Health Insurance Cover, Housing Scheme or Ownership Scheme, all these schemes have been implemented successfully, he added.
The CM said the state government is committed to the development of Mirzapur and a university will be built here soon. He urged local public representatives to earmark the land as soon as possible and send the proposal, after which an Act can be made and the foundation stone of the university can be laid here as soon as possible.
He said a house each to SC/ST people of Mirzapur and Sonbhadra will be provided under the Chief Minister Housing Scheme.
On this occasion, the CM provided certificates, laptops and toolkits to women beneficiaries of various schemes. Vindhya Shakti Samman was awarded to 11 women who did excellent work in the fields of folk music, education, medicine, sports, social service, judicial and security.
He also spent time with children on the temple premises and gave them sweets.
Union minister of state Anupriya Patel, state minister Ashish Patel, Rajya Sabha members Geeta Shakya, Arun Singh and Ramshakal, BJP regional president Dilip Patel, district panchayat president Raju Kanojia, MLC Vineet Singh, MLAs Ratnakar Mishra, Ramashankar Singh, Anurag Singh, BJP and Apna Dal leaders including Vinod Kumar Bind and Rinki Kol were also present on the occasion.
