Bhubaneswar: Describing women as the driving force of development, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday asserted that Odisha has emerged as a unique model of women empowerment under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Speaking on the occasion of International Women’s Day, senior BJD leader Snehangini Chhuria and V K Pandian said the regional party is nor simply a political outfit but has emerged as a social revolution working for the empowerment of women.
Odisha has emerged as a unique model in women empowerment, be it fostering women entrepreneurship or record representation of women in decision making bodies from panchayat to parliament, they said.
Reaffirming the party’s commitment to create more women leaders in different spheres for a strong and empowered Odisha, they said the women of Odisha have risen a lot in the last 20 years. The state government continues to make a commitment to protect their political, social and economic rights.
The Chief Minister strongly believes that where mothers are respected, gods reside there, Chhuria said, adding that women in the state have now gained prestige in social, political and economic spheres.
While 70 per cent of the district councils in the state are headed by women, BJD provides tickets to 33 per cent of seats for Lok Sabha as well as the state Assembly, they said.
Similarly, more than 50 percent women are represented in panchayat and municipal bodies.
