Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today said that empowerment of women is imperative for the development of society and the government has launched many schemes and programmes for the welfare and development of women of the state.Addressing a public gathering after launching Pradhan Mantri Ujwala Yojana (PMUY) at Kotranka here, the Minister said the state government has flagged women’s welfare as a priority area and efforts are being made to achieve targets in this regard.Explaining the modalities of PMUY the Minister said that this would impact the lives of women especially in BPL families in a major way by reducing the drudgery of cooking with the polluted fuels and go a long way in reducing the indoor pollution and other health related problems being faced by them.Expressing dismay over the declining child sex ratio in district Rajouri, the Minister said that presence of substantial female population is of paramount importance, adding that the society can never sustain without them.
Chowdhary Zulfkar said that government has launched many flagship schemes for the empowerment of women which include State Marriage Assistance Scheme, Laadli Beti, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao among others. “In order to acknowledge the eminent role played by women in the household the new ration cards will be issued in the name of females instead of male member of the family,” he said.The Minister said the state government has introduced women police stations in many districts of the state for tackling crimes against women.Later Minister also laid foundation of new type PHC at Panjnara. To be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.82 crore this Primary Health Centre will provide health care facilities to a large population of the adjoining villages.District Development Commissioner Rajouri, Shabir Ahmed Bhat, Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Jammu, G.S. Chib along with all sectoral and district officers accompanied Minister.