The Hindu : National : Decision on Women's Bill soon: Arjun

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Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005

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Decision on Women's Bill soon: Arjun

Staff Correspondent

Social Welfare Boards urged to strive for empowering women

NEW DELHI: Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh on Tuesday said that the Centre would soon take a decision on the Women's Reservation Bill seeking to give 33 per cent reservation to women in Assemblies and Parliament.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a national conference of State Social Welfare Board chairpersons, Secretaries and Field Officers, Mr. Singh said discussions on the issue had reached an advanced stage.

``I am confident that steps will be taken in this matter over the next few days,'' he said, adding that the Centre was committed to giving 33 per cent reservation to women. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil is holding talks with various political parties to arrive at a consensus on the issue.

Earlier, Central Social Welfare Board chairperson Rajani Patil demanded that the Bill be introduced in Parliament immediately. She said she would meet the Prime Minister and request him for speedy passage of the Bill. The Board is also planning to hold a rally in the Capital.

Addressing the conference, Mr. Singh asked the State Social Welfare Boards to strive for empowering women to face the challenges of society. Mr. Singh said society had undergone vast changes since Independence and women faced new challenges. The Central and State Welfare Boards should strive for the empowerment of women and make them capable of facing these challenges, he said.

Later, in a memorandum submitted to the HRD Minister, chairperson of the State Social Welfare Boards demanded increasing the tenure of the State chairpersons from three to five years and they be granted the status of Minister of State.

Expressing alarm over the falling sex ratio in the country, the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Kanti Singh, said some regions had reached shockingly low levels.Ms. Patil said monitoring of programme implementation by the voluntary organisations at the grassroots would be strengthened and a proposal to set up a special task force for this purpose was being worked out.

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