The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Budget to have more for women

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Sunday, Mar 09, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Budget to have more for women

Special Correspondent

P.K.S. Tharakan impressed with work of SHGs, concerned over sex ratio

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

A memorable day: Winners of Kittur Rani Chennamma, Yashodharamma Dasappa and Best Stree Shakthi Group awards pose with Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Cyriac Joseph (centre), the former Chief Secretary Teresa Bhattacharya (third from left), Karnataka Legal Services Authority president V. Gopla Gowda and High Court judge Nagarathna, at the inauguration of International Women’s Day celebrations at Balbhavan in Bangalore on Saturday.

Bangalore: P.K.S. Tharakan, advisor to the Governor, hinted at higher allocation for women and child-related schemes in the State Budget as he emphasised the need for giving them high priority.

Speaking at the International Women’s Day celebrations organised by the Department of Women and Child Welfare and Karnataka Legal Services Authority here on Saturday, he said that Karnataka’s earlier budget had launched several schemes for women and children, including Bhagyalakshmi insurance scheme and Akshara Dasoha.

The self-help groups of women were making big strides in economic empowerment, he said.

But an area of concern, he said, was the decreasing girl child sex ratio.

Cyriac Joseph, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, who inaugurated the function, said that if there was injustice in society it was not because of want of laws but because they were not being implemented in earnest.

Several women’s self-help groups, non-governmental organisations and individuals who worked for the cause of women’s rights were honoured on the occasion.

Among those who were given Kittur Chennamma Awards were actor and activist Jayamala Ramachandra, education philanthropist Rohini Nilekani and Sushma Varma of Campaign and Struggle Against Acid Attacks on Women.

Three Stree Shakti groups from Haveri, Udupi and Chamrajnagar taluks were chosen for special awards.

Directory launched

The event saw the launch of a directory of Stree Shakti groups that market specialised products throughout the State.

It was announced that an exclusive five-storey mall for women entrepreneurs, “Mahila Bhavan”, would be built. It would house the offices of Women and Child Development Department.

The programme witnessed the launch of e-Mahile, a programme to make women empowered through Information Technology.

Exhibition

An exhibition showcasing products made by women artisans, entrepreneurs and self-help groups was inaugurated at Cubbon Park.

The 300 stalls, which sell everything from clothes and toys to food and electronic gadgets, would be open till March 13.

The programme was preceded by a march by women from all walks of life.

A series of programmes, including seminars and sports meet, have been organised by the Department of Women and Child Development through the coming week.

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