New Delhi

Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi on Monday described the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a landmark democratic reform and a transformative step toward women’s empowerment and greater participation in governance.

Speaking at the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan’ in New Delhi, she said the occasion marked a new and inspiring chapter in nation-building where determination, dedication and achievement had come together.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rekha Gupta, National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar and Union Minister Savitri Thakur, among others.

Devi said the legislation was the outcome of decades of struggle and perseverance by women, calling it a major democratic accomplishment that would strengthen women’s capabilities, dignity and representation in public life.

She credited Modi’s determination for turning a long-pending reform into reality after several unsuccessful attempts over the last three decades.

Highlighting the government’s vision of women-led development, the minister said Indian women were emerging as leaders of progress and building a new identity globally.

She cited schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana as initiatives that had helped women move from dependence to self-reliance and from beneficiaries to leaders.

Devi said the rising number of girls in STEM fields, India’s large number of women pilots, and lakhs of elected women representatives in panchayats reflected the changing face of the country.

She added that the law would bring women’s lived experiences into policymaking, making governance more inclusive and responsive. According to her, women’s leadership, which expanded at the panchayat level, would now extend to state assemblies and Parliament, making Indian democracy stronger and more representative.

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Parliament’s Budget Session has been extended, with a special three-day sitting from April 16 to 18 expected to consider amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act for its implementation in 2029.