Empower women for a powerful nation: PM

Noting that low female literacy was impeding growth, prime minister Manmohan Singh launched a major initiative in the education sector on Tuesday, saying the government will take all steps to empower women socially, economically and politically.

Launching the Saakshar Bharat mission in Delhi, he also announced that a national mission to empower women will be set up soon. While the cabinet has already decided to amend the Constitution and provide 50% reservation to women in panchayats and other local bodies, the self-help group movement will be “expanded by restructuring and revitalising Rashtriya Mahila Kosh”, Manmohan said.

Maintaining that female literacy was a force multiplier for social development, he said it had been observed that infrastructure development in economic sector and female literacy in social sector were “the two critical factors impeding India’s steady climb to a higher and sustainable level of growth”.

The mission will be implemented in 1.7 lakh gram panchayats in 365 districts which have a low female literacy rate and 33 districts affected by Left-wing extremism. “Female literacy is necessary to empower the Indian woman in her everyday struggle in dealing with multiple deprivation on the basis of class, caste or gender,” the PM said, adding that persistent illiteracy among women, SCs, STs, minorities and other disadvantaged groups was “a challenge that we must face head on”.