Dehradun (Uttarakhand)

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday participated in the 'Manthon-2025: 5th National Leaders' Summit (Women's Special)' organised by the Business Uttarayani organisation at Mukhya Sevak Sadan in Dehradun.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister honoured women who have made outstanding contributions in startups, self-reliance, and various other fields.

The Chief Minister said that this summit is being organised with the objective of encouraging women entrepreneurs. Through their talent, hard work, and innovation, women have contributed significantly to the progress of their families, society, and the state.

He emphasised that women are playing a vital role in the economic and social development of the state. The Chief Minister said that under the mantra "Nari Tu Narayani", Prime Minister Narendra Modi is continuously working with commitment towards the welfare and empowerment of women.

He stated that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, several landmark initiatives have been implemented for women's empowerment, including 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies, the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign, Ujjwala Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana, Lakhpati Didi Yojana, and the abolition of regressive practices like triple talaq.

He said that under the Prime Minister's leadership, the women power of New India is establishing a strong presence in every field, including industry, arts, education, science, sports, research, and the armed forces.

The Chief Minister further said that under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the state government is also working with full dedication for the welfare of women. Greater participation of women is being ensured in areas such as education, health, entrepreneurship, and self-employment.

Through schemes like the Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission, Sashakt Behna Utsav Yojana, and the Chief Minister Women Self-Help Group Empowerment Scheme, new opportunities are being created for women across the state.

He said that under the Chief Minister Udyamshala Scheme, products manufactured by women's groups are being developed as a brand. More than 15,000 women entrepreneurs, self-help groups, and Lakhpati Didis are being provided incubation facilities. The state has also launched an umbrella brand called House of Himalayas, under which high-quality products are being made available to consumers through various e-commerce platforms and in-house stores.

The Chief Minister stated that nearly 70,000 self-help groups have been formed in the state, organising around five lakh women who are collectively running their businesses. Through more than 7,000 village organisations and over 500 cluster organisations, women of the state are setting a unique example of collective leadership.

More than 1.68 lakh women have become Lakhpati Didis, creating a new milestone in women's empowerment. Considering the work being done by women, the state government is developing a strong ecosystem for product processing, packaging, and marketing.

He added that women in the state are also achieving remarkable success in the startup sector. Startups established by women are performing exceptionally well in diverse areas such as traditional arts, agricultural products, education, digital services, and technology.

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The Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand has been placed in the Achievers category for Ease of Doing Business and has also secured the Leaders category in startup rankings. He further stated that a 30 per cent reservation has been implemented for women in government services in the state.

For the safety and protection of women's rights, Uttarakhand has also taken the historic step of becoming the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code.