Quota Bill Will Prove Revolutionary Tool For Women Empowerment: President

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will prove to be a revolutionary tool for women's empowerment and go a long way in improving governance, President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday.

The President made the remarks in her address on the eve of 75th Republic Day.

"We also progressed further towards the ideal of gender equality, when the Parliament passed the historic women's reservation bill. I believe the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will prove to be a revolutionary tool for women's empowerment," she said.

"It will also go a long way in improving the processes of our governance. When more women will be involved in matters of collective importance, our administrative priorities will be more in tune with the needs of the masses," President Murmu added.

The 128th Constitution amendment bill, officially named the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, to reserve one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women was passed by Parliament last year.

The President also highlighted that the period of Amrit Kaal will see unprecedented technological changes.

"Technological advances like Artificial Intelligence and machine learning have moved from headlines into our daily lives at a breathtaking speed.

There are numerous areas of concern in the foreseeable future, but there are also exciting opportunities ahead, especially for the youth, she said. "The youth is exploring new frontiers".

"We need to do all we can to remove hurdles from their path and let them unleash their full potential. What they want is equality of opportunity. What they want is not the same old rhetoric of equality, but the realisation of our cherished ideal of equality," she said.

It is, after all, their confidence that is building the India of tomorrow, she said. Moreover, the mind of the youth is shaped by teachers, who are the real architects of the nation's future, President Murmu added.

The President also thanked farmers and labourers and said they toil silently and make a mighty contribution to creating a better future for the nation.

She also thanked members of the Armed Forces, police and para-military forces, "without whose valour and vigil we would not have scaled the great heights we have."

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