Bihar to declare 'women empowerment policy'

The Bihar government will declare the state policy for women empowerment on March 22 to ensure that women participate in mainstream development.

Announcing the measure in a speech at a function in the state capital on the occasion of International Women's Day, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, "The state policy for women empowerment will ensure that women are able to reach the resources and participate in mainstream development."

Declaring security of women in Bihar as the priority for his government, Kumar said the special women's cell established for this purpose in 23 police stations in Patna district will be expanded to sub-division level across the state.

"The special women's cell set up by Women Development Corporation (WDC) with the help of CID and British Government's Department For International Development (DFID) will be expanded to 112 police stations across the state, including those of Government Rail Police (GRP)," Kumar said.

Flanked by Social Welfare Minister Lesi Singh, Rural Works Minister Shravan Kumar and Sugarcane Industry Minister Ranju Gita at the jam-packed Sri Krishna Memorial Hall, Kumar also announced that the Bihar government will award women excelling in various sectors in the state.

A sum of Rs 50,000 will be given to those selected at district level while Rs 1 lakh will be given to the women chosen at the state level, he said. Pointing that girls riding bicycles to schools presented a picture of the development of Bihar and the change brought in the state, Kumar said, "15 years ago when people saw a girl cycling, they used to approach her father to check her (activities)." "Today groups of girls ride bicycles freely to school, learn martial arts and are ready to face every situation. This is what we call change." 

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