Women, girls honoured for breaking stereotypes and making a mark of their own

Kolkata: The Minister of State for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, Shashi Panja on Saturday felicitated women and girls who have not only excelled in their respective fields but also shown exemplary courage and determination setting a mark of their own towards women empowerment.

Panja, along with her department officials on Saturday, celebrated International Women's Day at Rabindra Okakura Bhavan to encourage the women who have set a milestone and also to highlight how the various socio-economic schemes initiated by the Mamata Banerjee government have benefitted thousands of women and girls alike. The minister handed over prizes to the women who have established themselves in various fields after fighting all odds.

The International Women's Day falls on March 8 and the city already witnessed a massive rally taken out by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with several of her Cabinet colleagues.

It may be mentioned here that the "Kanyashree" project, a brainchild of the Chief Minister, has helped lakhs of girl students get financial benefits. The scheme has also reduced the school dropout rate in the state. Girls have also been awarded for their achievements in their respective fields. This project is not just a mere scheme that provides financial assistance to girls for their education but it also plays a major role in instilling a zeal among them to overcome hindrances and surge ahead in life with promise and determination.

The Women and Child Development and Social Welfare department runs the project. Many of the women have utlilised the money provided by the state government to start small businesses in the rural areas. The girls who have represented Bengal in the national arena and won prizes in various competitions were also felicitated by the department. "We are extremely happy to be able to felicitate those women who have achieved an outstanding feat in various fields. They are not famous but the way they have overcome the difficulties and come out successful, demand our admiration. The programme was jointly conducted by our department and the West Bengal Commission for Women," Panja said.

She also added: "We celebrate June 15 as a platform for spreading awareness against domestic violence on elderly citizens. We all must spread awareness against atrocities on the elderly citizens."