NEW DELHI: Reiterating that “the active participation of Nari Shakti will undeniably accelerate the journey towards achieving a developed and empowered India”, Dileep Sanghani, President, National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), said that Lakhpati Didi Scheme is empowering women all over the country. Women connected with Self Help Groups are the strong link for Viksit Bharat.
Sanghani was speaking at an event titled “Invest in women: Accelerate progress” jointly organized by NCUI and Tapasya Nari Seva Samiti Trust today (Friday, 8th March) on the occasion of International Women’s Day at NCUI Auditorium. Global Governance News Group was the media partner.
Lauding NCUI’s determination and commitment towards nation building, Dileep Sanghani said, “NaMo Drone Didis are champions of innovation, suitability and self-reliance. Government is leveraging the power of drones to further women empowerment.” He praised Namo Drone Didis for their innovation, suitability and self-reliance, but also said that “mere sloganeering will not serve the purpose of women empowerment. An awareness drive needs to be accelerated in every village to make them aware of various government welfare schemes.”
The programme commenced with lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries and chanting of Ganesh Vandana. Thereafter, all the distinguished guests on the dais were welcomed with bouquet and shawl. Dignitaries on the dais included Ms. Sarjubala Devi, International Boxer, World Youth Women Boxing Champion, Manipur; Dr. Bijender Singh, Vice Chairman, NCUI & Chairman, NAFED; Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, President, ICA-AP & Chairman, KRIBHCO; Smt. Rishida Thakur, Chairperson, Tapasya Nari Seva Samiti Trust; Dr. Ranbir Singh Laishram, President, World Funaba Federation; Kumar Rakesh, Board Member of Tapasya Nari Seva Samiti Trust & Chairman, Global Governance News Group; and Dr. Sudhir Mahajan, IAS (Retd.), Chief Executive, NCUI.
Extending his greetings on International Women’s Day, Dr. Sudhir Mahajan, IAS (Retd.), Chief Executive, NCUI said, “We salute the strength, courage, and resilience of Nari Shakti and laud their accomplishments across various fields. NCUI is committed to empowering women through initiatives in education, entrepreneurship, agriculture, technology and more. This is also reflected in our accomplishments in the last few months.”
Mahajan emphasised on the critical importance of financial literacy for women in today’s digitalised world and the virtues of wisdom, resilience, sovereignty, and prosperity in managing personal finances. He stressed on the need for women to equip themselves with knowledge and skills for modern finance, recognise their financial power, and navigate the digital landscape with vigilance against cyber threats.
He highlighted that financial literacy transcends mere numerical understanding; it is about empowering informed decision-making for a secure financial future. Recognising the pivotal role of financial education in empowering women and its significance as a catalyst for societal advancement, skill training programmes are aimed to address and adapt financial literacy for the digital age, focusing on both its opportunities and challenges. NCUI has taken several initiatives for their capacity building. This is being done to boost female financial literacy level in India. This approach underscores the critical need for enhancing women’s financial literacy for individual, household, and broader societal well-being, he added.
In her introductory remark, Smt. Savitri Singh, Deputy Chief Executive, NCUI noted that the skill training programmes represent a significant stride towards enhancing financial literacy among women in India, in line with the overarching objective of encouraging inclusive economic development and financial prosperity across all societal segments.
She further said, “International Women’s Day is dedicated to recognise the achievements of women and their efforts in raising awareness about gender equality and women’s rights. It is also an important occasion to emphasize the need to provide equal opportunities for women and empower them in all spheres of life. Even today, women face several challenges which we need to address. Still women are setting new benchmarks in all fields varying from science and technology to medicine, space, armed forces and sports.”
Sharing his views Kumar Rakesh, Director of Tapaya Nari Seva Samiti Trust & Chairman, Global Governance News Group said, “This is a day to celebrate the invaluable contributions made by women in every sphere of society with their unwavering resolve, boundless compassion and ceaseless determination. We can pave the way for a more inclusive and prosperous society by ensuring equal rights & opportunities for women. The passage of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is an epochal development in this direction that gives our daughters and sisters their entitlement. On this day, let’s recommit ourselves to create an environment where every woman is empowered to realize her full potential and every hurdle that hinders her progress is dismantled.”
Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, President, ICA-AP & Chairman, KRIBHCO; Dr. Bijender Singh, Vice President, NCUI; Ms. Sarjubala Devi, International Boxer, World Youth Women Boxing Champion, Manipur also shared their views.
On the occasion, two training modules prepared by NCUI – Urban Cooperative Banking; and Community Mobilisation and Registration of Cooperatives were unveiled. Meanwhile, 21 women were felicitated for their exemplary social work and women empowerment. A culture dance performance by Thoithoi Devi from Manipur; performance by women martial art artists (on the theme Aatm Suraksha); and Nari Shakti song by Ms. Naobi Yadav from Manipur mesmerized the august gathering. The programme concluded with vote of thanks by Smt. Rishida Thakur, Chairperson, Tapasya Nari Seva Samiti Trust.