Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today said empowerment of women is key to the development of the State. She asked girls to focus on education as it is the only stream which has the potential to bring about the desired social change.Addressing the students after inaugurating the new building of the Government Women’s College, Pulwama, the Chief Minister said women hold an important place in our society and their empowerment would signal a positive turnaround in our society. She asked the students to attain different skills so that they not only become educated but empowered as well.Mehbooba Mufti asked the students to take their studies seriously so that after attaining education they are able to contribute positively to the society. She also laid stress on equal importance of curricular and extracurricular activities. She advised students of the college to take active interest in sports activities as well. She said importance of education has been reiterated time and again in Islam and other religions.
The Chief Minister enumerated several steps her Government has taken for the welfare of womenfolk in the State. She said schemes like Laadli besides the scooty scheme would bring about the desired change among the women of the State.Minister for Finance, Dr. Haseeb A. Drabu and Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar also addressed the gathering.Earlier, the Chief Minister launched the scooty scheme for meritorious girl students of Pulwama district.Minister for R&B, Abdul Rehman Veeri; Minister of State for Forests, Mir Zahoor Ahmad; MP, Nazir Ahmad Laway; legislators, Mohammad Khalil Bandh and Mushtaq Ahmad Shah; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan; IGP, Kashmir zone, SJM Gillani; DIG, SKR, Nitish Kumar; Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Muneer ul Islam and other senior officers were present on the occasion.