Empowered women, healthy families go hand in hand: Haryana guv

Chandigarh, Sep 28 (PTI) Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh on Sunday said women’s empowerment and healthy families complement each other. He said that when women are empowered, families are more aware, educated and organised, and when families are healthy, women have opportunities to progress more in their lives.

Ghosh was speaking as the chief guest at the ‘Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar’ event organised by the Haryana State Child Welfare Council in Panchkula. His wife Mitra Ghosh and Council vice chairperson Suman Saini were present as special guests.

The governor said it is essential to provide women with rights and opportunities to enable them to be self-reliant, secure and equal participants in society.

He also lauded the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, under whom Haryana, he said, was touching new heights of development.

The state government has launched several schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Women’s Safety and Atmanirbhar Nari aimed at empowering women, he said. Ghosh said for centuries, the society has respected the role of women in building families, society and the nation.

Praising the Haryana State Child Welfare Council, he said that the council has been doing exemplary work for the holistic development of children since 1971.

The Council benefits around 1.25 lakh children, youth and women annually through Bal Bhavans, Laghu Bal Bhavans, Bal Grihas and various programmes such as adoption, special adoption, coaching classes, de-addiction centres and open shelter homes.

As the council’s chairman, he said it was a matter of pride that it has provided new homes to 704 children through adoption, of which 528 were adopted in India and 176 abroad.

On this occasion, Ghosh appealed to people to build a Haryana where every daughter has the right to dream and fulfil them, and where every family is healthy, educated and empowered.

Council vice chairperson Suman Saini said through Bal Bhavans and Laghu Bal Bhavans, the council runs educational and health-enhancing activities for children up to 18 years of age, including computer centers, craft centers, childcare centers, children's libraries, model day care centers, talent search programs, etc.

Additionally, the council operates Prayas Schools for special children, virtual classes, drug de-addiction centers, family counseling centers, and open shelter homes for underprivileged children. Furthermore, the council also runs coaching and guidance classes for underprivileged children, she added.

Saini said the 'Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar' programme aims to empower women and raise awareness about their health. A healthy and empowered woman is the centre of the home, the nurturer of the family and the creator of a strong society, she reiterated.

However, in today's hectic lives, women are often unable to take care of their health, she said and expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for recently launching the campaign from Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, taking a significant step towards women's health and empowerment.

She urged all women to be a part of this campaign and spread awareness about it in their neighborhoods, villages and cities. Saini expressed confidence that women will play a significant role in realising Modi's vision of a developed India by 2047. PTI SUN OZ OZ