Odisha- the Torch Bearer in Women Empowerment

Women are the backbone of the family, architects of the society and bedrock of the nation. No household, no society, no state, no country has ever progressed without empowering its women.

Women empowerment can be achieved only when women are given opportunity or encouraged for their participation in all areas and sectors and have a voice in the decision-making process.

When it comes to women empowerment and emancipation, unarguably Odisha’s longest serving Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is a true champion. His path-breaking initiatives like 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchyati Raj institutions, Resolution seeking 33 per cent reservation in legislative assemblies and Parliament, Mission Shakti, Mamata Yojana, girls’ education, hostels for tribal girls, provision of Rs. 7 lakh health insurance for women under Biju Swastya Kalyan Yojana, and land rights for women have gone a long way in empowering women in Odisha.

The Odisha Chief Minister has once again reiterated his government’s commitment towards women empowerment when he recently approved the appointment of some women leaders as chairpersons of various state corporations, boards and as advisor of different state government welfare schemes.

The appointment of Kasturi Mohapatra as Chairperson of Social Welfare Board, Sulochana Das as Chairperson of State Commission for Persons with Disability, Lopamudra Baxipatra as Advisor of Mission Shakti, and Minati Behera as Chairperson of State Commission for Women emphasizes the point that the women are motivated to be part of the decision making-process. The Chief Minister has also appointed Shreemayee Mishra as the head of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC). The decision is seen as an important one as the tourism sector is witnessing a growth and involves large number of women workforce.

During election times, most of the political parties in their manifestos repeatedly speak about women empowerment, but somewhere when it comes to walking the talk, there is a deafening silence. Naveen kept his promise of giving tickets to 33 percent women in Parliamentary elections and five of them won the elections. Naveen’s decision to field Pramila Bisoyi from Aska is seen as the best instance of women empowerment. And true to his decision, Pramila has not only won the elections, but people’s hearts.

The grassroots leader will definitely add to the Chief Ministers’s ambition to empower more and more women.
But, for Odisha Chief Minister and his party Biju Janata Dal are always true to their words and sincerely fulfill what they have promised for women empowerment and gender responsive governance in the State, which has been well acknowledged by the United Nations. The day is not so far to see that the women of Odisha will be leading the way in women empowerment in India.