New Delhi: BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra reiterated his party’s demand for passing the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday morning.
Speaking in his mother tongue Odia, Patra said that women’s empowerment is extremely important in India and especially in the context of economic, social and political empowerment.
Speaking on political empowerment for women, he mentioned about Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik picking 33 per cent women MP candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Patra further said that political empowerment could be achieved with the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
On the issue of social and economic empowerment, the BJD MP felt the need to study the model of Mission Shakti programme of Odisha, which has empowered more than 80 lakh women through Women Self Help Groups and revolutionized their lives and livelihood.
Just as the Centre had brought about the National Maternity Scheme after considering Odisha’s Mamata Yojana, it should now consider a National Programme on the lines of Odisha’s Mission Shakti which would lead to social and economic empowerment of women. These two proposals would lead to the true political, social and economic empowerment of women in India, he added.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu praised Patra for his views and his articulation by himself speaking in Odia, “ତମର ଭାଷାରେ ଅତି ସୁନ୍ଦର କହିଲେ ” (You spoke well in your language). “I feel happy whenever members speak in any one of the Indian languages and that trend should be encouraged further,” he added.
This is the fourth time in the past 16 months that the Chairman has praised the BJD MP for his articulation, presentation and oration in the Rajya Sabha.
