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Women Welfare / Development

“Need to enhance women empowerment”

Wednesday, 25 November 2009 06:15 administrator
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The Hindu 25.11.2009

“Need to enhance women empowerment”

Special Correspondent

Through promotion of leadership skills to ensure their representation in polls

 

The project is being executed in 10 districts of Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Experts attending a workshop on “Women’s political empowerment and leadership” here on Tuesday emphasised the need for multi-level capacity enhancement of the fair sex in the run-up to the panchayat and urban body elections due next year in Rajasthan and evolving leadership skills among them to ensure their representation in the polls.

The four-day residential State-level workshop has been organised by the Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) as part of its ongoing project for empowerment of women representatives.

The project is being executed in 10 districts of the State since April last year.

PRIA Continuing Education Director Martha Farrell, inaugurating the workshop, said women’s empowerment through the promotion of leadership skills would help them participate effectively in local governance and emerge as “change agents”.

As a global institution engaged in promoting participatory approach and strengthening democratic governance, PRIA has carried out the project for women in Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur and Ajmer districts.The majority of the 85 participants in the workshop are those selected from among the women elected representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies who attended the district-level events during the past year-and-a-half.

PRIA State coordinator Krishna Tyagi said the training at the workshop would build up women’s capacity to influence the governance process, strengthen their networks and enable them to collectively articulate their concerns and priorities in the public sphere.

Mr. Tyagi said the workshop would have different sessions on gender issues, campaigning, networking, a quiz on governance and general knowledge and communication skills with the objective of enhancing self-confidence among women which would create an enabling environment for their participation in local governance.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 November 2009 06:17
 

50% quota: Women brace up for more power

Friday, 13 November 2009 09:11 administrator
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The Times of India 13.11.2009

50% quota: Women brace up for more power

Radha Sharma, TNN 13 November 2009, 06:45am IST

AHMEDABAD: Women in the state have expressed their readiness to make the most of the state goverment's decision on Wednesday to raise women's quota from 33 to 50 per cent in the local self-governing bodies at the urban and rural level.

"The hike in reservation for women at the local level is a step forward. Women leaders are not mere rubber stamps. Our experience with women sarpanches has been very encouraging. We found them fighting their way into leadership," said Sejal Dand of Anandi. She said that the government move has now made them look forward to reservation for women in Parliament as well.

Ila Vakharia of Chetna said that she has been working for the past one year with women who are active in grassroots politics and social welfare. She said her organization has trained nearly 50 potential women leaders. Women from SC, ST and tribal areas have been specifically chosen to empower them to voice their stand on various important issues at the village level, Vakharia added.

"The 50 per cent quota for women in local self-governing bodies was long due. It is essential that women are encouraged to participate in the political process. We also aim to persuade those who are successful at the local governance level to enter the state assemblies and Parliament," said Vakharia.

"Women's participation in politics will ensure that the issues of fair sex and children that usually get ignored at the rural and even urban level will assume significance. We want that more women be strengthened to persue active politics. With more seats reserved for women, they will now also find a place in decision-making bodies like the standing committees," said Dand.

Sanita Xelox of Sahrwaru, which has been actively working in 17 districts with rural women, said a few of their candidates groomed for political roles also participated in the women's parliament, held in New Delhi, as ministers. "The training has made women confident and encouraged them to take on the mantle of politics," said Xelox.
 

Housing scheme: after spot verification, 89% applicants found ineligible

Thursday, 12 November 2009 11:27 administrator
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Indian Express 12.11.2009

Housing scheme: after spot verification, 89% applicants found ineligible

Of the 3,476 applications received for the allotment of free houses to the urban poor in Lucknow under the Manya-war Shree Kanshiram Shahari Gareeb Awaas Yojna, only 363 have been found eligible.

The rest, which constitutes more than 89 per cent, were found ineligible during spot verification, as the applicants owned assets like pucca house, land and vehicles.

Interestingly, the administration found that around 250 applicants had submitted Above Poverty Line (APL) cards but in the spot verification they were found to be poor. The district administration is going to send a proposal to the government so that they may be allotted the houses.

Since 1,500 houses are being built under the scheme in Lucknow, 1,137 houses will not have any deserving applicants.

According to sources, the government will invite fresh applications for these houses, which are being built on city’s outskirts.

Chief Minister Mayawati had announced the scheme last year. It was proposed to build 1.01 lakh houses in the form of multi-storied apartments across the state. Only people below poverty line could apply for the houses.

In Lucknow, the administration invited application in February-March. Altogether 3,476 applications were received and the verification work was completed last week. As many as 2,237 applicants were found to be holding APL cards.

“Applications which do not fulfill the criteria will be cancelled,” said O P Pathak, Additional District Magistrate. He said applications would be invited again shortly.

Pathak said the allotment will begin soon after LDA completes the work. The houses were to be built by August, but as of now only the structure of the buildings has been constructed.

Last Updated on Thursday, 12 November 2009 11:31
 
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