Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje has said that because I am the CM, every woman of Rajasthan is the CM.

“I want the women to emerge empowered and economically strong. The state government is working for this with full commitment,” she said.

Smt. Raje was addressing a function on the occasion of expansion of Rajasthan Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (Rajeevika) program in the state at Birla Auditorium on Monday.

The CM said that a woman would get recognition after she performed the twice of a man, but they had potential to change the face of the entire state and the country. She said that the state government’s women empowerment schemes would definitely lead to a wealthier, more educated and prosperous Rajasthan.

On this occasion she flagged-off a group of 465 women resource persons (Community Resource Persons (CRPs)) trained in Rajeevika to work with the poor women in different parts of Rajasthan and constitute their groups and empower them through different activities.

Smt. Raje said that when she became the CM for the first time in 2003, the men used to lead and the women use to follow the men, with veil on the face, a bale on the head and children in the lap. But, now things had changed. Today, women in Rajasthan had become part of development of the family, the community and the country. This was all due to their courage, she said. She added that when a woman would be economically strong, she would gain her identity.

The CM said that the women needed to understand that they were not weak. It was they who would make the family, the home, through hard work every day and night. It was they who could change the face of this state. “All women sitting here should pledge to themselves that they will not lag behind on any front and we all are part of the state’s development,” she said.

Smt. Raje said that to move forward the women should focus on education. We were needed to educate the girls. During her previous tenure, the government started cycle or scooty scheme and free education scheme for girls’ upto class 12by giving syllabus books free of cost. These schemes were still running, she said. Some more schemes, such as passes for free ride in roadways buses and self-defence scheme were also running.

“As we have to make a new world, we all women should show our power,” she said.

The CM said that the entire state was suffering because of shortage of doctors. Therefore, the women self-help group (SHG) members should be given training for primary treatment at the Primary and Community Health Centres. This would enable them to offer primary treatment in the village itself. This way, they would not replace the doctors, but could provide some relief through first-aid, she added.

Smt. Raje said that the 465 CRPs trained through Rajeevika would cover the entire state and make efforts to empower their strength. This would not only change their families, but the entire state.

The Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Shri Surendra Goyal said that presently, Rajeevika program was running in 42 blocks and about 3 lakh women engaged through the SHGs were being benefited by way of earning their livelihoods. By the year 2018, this would be made operational in the entire state, he said.

Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Anita Bhadel said that the CM thought of making all women self-dependent. This resulted in the fact that the women CRPs were improving their skills and were involved in the process of eradicating poverty. During the event, some CRP woman shared their success stories from the dais. A short film on Rajeevika Program was also screened on this occasion.

Prior to this, Principal Secretary Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shri Srimat Pande welcomed all and shared the details of the program. In the end, Secretary Rural Development Shri Rajiv Singh Thakur proposed vote of thanks. In the event, the Additional Chief Secretary Women and Child Development Shri Rakesh Shrivastava, senior officers of various departments and women members of the SHGs were present in good number.

Jaipur, June 1 2015