Nitish Kumar calls for a collective pledge for women’s upliftment

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday extended greetings and best wishes to the women of the state and the country on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

In a message posted on X, he said that the contribution of women is extremely important in the development of any state or country. He added that the state government is continuously making efforts for the empowerment of women and for their safety, education, and social as well as economic development.

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On the occasion, Kumar said that everyone should take a pledge to remain committed to women’s upliftment to ensure their social and economic development and a safe and better environment.

Nitish Kumar was among the first few leaders to identify women voters, who form nearly 48 per cent of Bihar’s total voting population, as a constituency, which he, as Chief Minister, nurtured through various welfare schemes.

Schemes like 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayati raj institutions and urban bodies and 35 per cent reservation in jobs, bicycle distribution scheme for schoolgirls, financial assistance to families for the education and marriage of girls, strategies to enhance the role of women in agriculture, and prohibiting the sale of liquor in Bihar have earned him wide support among women voters.

The formation of the ‘Jeevika’ self-help group for women in 2006 remains one of the most significant achievements of Nitish Kumar.