Empowering women through cooperative societies in the country is a key objective of the Modi government, said Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
Speaking at an event held on Saturday in the Kundara area of Kollam district, Kerala, where he launched various initiatives of the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India, he said:
Since independence, farmers and others associated with the sector had been demanding that a separate ministry be set up for the cooperative sector. For many years, that demand was not fulfilled.
At the same time, taking into account rural development, progress in the agriculture sector, and women’s empowerment, Prime Minister Modi took the major step of setting up a separate ministry for the cooperative sector.
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, significant efforts have been made over the past 12 years to inspire and empower women in the country. In particular, empowering rural and poor women through cooperative societies has been a key objective of the government. We have clearly understood that if a woman in a family progresses, the entire family progresses.
Measures for women: The number of women workers in the country, which was 23 percent in 2014-15, has now increased to 40 percent. This is due to the increased facilities for women workers. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, bank accounts have been opened for about 36 crore women. To protect the rights of Muslim women, the practice of triple talaq was banned. Earlier, Muslim women were not allowed to go on the Hajj pilgrimage without a male companion. Now, Muslim women can undertake the Hajj pilgrimage without a male companion.
More than 10,000 of our daughters are serving in the country’s armed forces. Paid maternity leave has been increased to 26 weeks.
The target of creating 3 crore millionaire women through women’s self-help groups was achieved two years ago. The government is now working with the goal of creating 6 crore millionaire women by 2029.
8 lakh women farmers have joined the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India, and 6 lakh women farmers have joined the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India. He said this number will increase further in the coming years.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi, Kerala Cooperation Minister M. Liju, Kollam MP N.K. Premachandran, and others took part in the event.
After the official event, Amit Shah attended a consultation meeting of BJP leaders in Kochi. Senior leaders including state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Union Minister Suresh Gopi participated in the meeting. They discussed the BJP’s strategy for the upcoming local body elections.
Congress black flag
After landing by helicopter at the Kollam ashram ground, Amit Shah later traveled by road to Gundara. As Amit Shah’s convoy passed by, Congress Youth Wing members standing by the roadside staged a protest by showing black flags. They shouted slogans against him. To ensure that Amit Shah’s convoy was not obstructed in any way, police personnel stopped and removed the protesters.
