‘Political awareness among women necessary for societal progress’

DH News Service GULBARGA, March 15

If society has to progress, it is necessary to create political awareness among women, according to Gulbarga Zilla Panchayat Vice-President Sharanprakash Patil.

He was speaking after inaugurating the ‘Swa-Shakti Women's Convention’ here recently organised jointly by the Karnataka State Women Development Corporation (KSWC), Swa-Shakti District Implementation Unit, and World Vision of India, Gulbarga unit.

He stated that a woman should stand on her own feet to lead a life of equality and self respect. Stating that the self-help groups would help the women in this endeavour, he said women could achieve success in this if they become organised.

Considering that women development would be achieved, if they were helped financially, he said the State government had come forward to help them financially. This would help them achieve progress economically and educationally, he said. “Thereby, the Zilla Panchayat was giving prizes to the self-help groups which collected more money,” he said.

Delivering the introductory address, Swa-Shakti District Project Manager S Siddalingamma stated that the self-help groups help the women financially. The nearly 350 women self-help groups in the district had already collected nearly Rs 35 lakh, she added.

She stated that villages where superstitions, illiteracy and poverty prevailed should be identified, and self-help groups started there. This would increase confidence among the women folk too, she added. Mr Samsung Tangod of the World Vision, Navin Kumar, Margadarshi Bank District Manager Vedavyas and others were present.