Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday felicitated several women for their contribution in different fields and announced to increase the amount of 'HP Mahila Vikas Protsahan Puraskar' from Rs 21,000 to Rs 1 lakh and district-level awards from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000.
Ahead of International Women's Day, CM Sukhu participated in a State level function in Shimla and awarded three women with Mahila Vikas Protsahan Puraskar and eight others were awarded in different fields such as Utkrisht Award for Women.
Addressing the function, Sukhu said, "Women are the pillars of society". He announced to increase the amount of Himachal Pradesh Mahila Vikas Protsahan Puraskar from Rs 21,000 to Rs 1 lakh and district-level awards from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000.
"We shall be celebrating International women's day on March 8, but people will be celebrating Holi as well on the same day. Thus, we've organized the programme for women's day today. I would like to greet all women on this occasion. Women have been playing an important role in society," Sukhu added.
Talking about the reservation granted to women through the 73rd and 74th amendment bills, CM Sukhu said, "The 73rd and 74th amendment bill was passed under the leadership of late Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi and it provides 33% reservation to women."
Highlighting the success and new policies for the state's women in different fields, CM said, "Women have climbed Mount Everest, they are scaling heights in every field today. We are coming up with policies for women to become independent and self-reliant."
"We have started the Mukhayamantri Sukh Ashray fund and have also started to give them three-star facilities for travelling once a year to orphan girls and boys." CM Sukhu added.
Encouraging other women to come forward and serve society, an award-winning woman Devkanya Thakur said, "An aware woman can change society and the world. I would appeal to the young women to come forward to serve the society instead of grooming oneself."
( With inputs from ANI )
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