Raipur, 3 June 2021. Chhattisgarh has become the top state in attaining sustainable development goal in gender equality as per the Niti Aayog’s SDG Index 2020-21 report released today.
Along with making a place in the top five sustainable development goals, the state is also amongst the performer states with an overall index score of 61 along with states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Odisha and others and moving fast towards entering the category of front-runner states.
The top five indicators of development are no poverty, zero hunger, health, education and gender equality. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) India Index evaluates progress of states and union territories with a qualitative assessment on 17 goals on social, economic and environmental parameters.
Last year, Chhattisgarh has witnessed high women participation in MNREGA with women securing Rs 4.65 crore paid employment out of Rs 9.17 crore generated. Women in Chhattisgarh made up for 50.75 per cent of the workforce during the first four months of the current financial year of 2020-21. Also, over 24.28 lakh women labourers got jobs during the different phases of lockdown.
Self-help groups in Chhattisgarh are a major contributor in economic empowerment of women especially in rural areas. 20 lakh women have been provided employment and means of income by connecting them with self-help groups. Women also have 50 per cent participation in panchayats in Chhattisgarh and are contributing in the development of the state as anganwadi workers, assistant, supervisor, “mitaanin”, teachers etc.
In Gauthans, women are conducting many economic activities along with making vermi compost. They are also getting income from the collection of minor forest produce. Earlier, only 7 types of minor forest produce were purchased on support price, now their number has been increased to 52, this has also increased the income of women.
In Chhattisgarh, policies related to promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls have been adopted, for which many important schemes are being run in the state. This is the reason that Chhattisgarh is also included in the top states of the country in sex ratio. The Chhattisgarh government has set a goal to end all forms of discrimination, violence against women and girls.
Efforts are being made to provide equal opportunities and participation to women in social, economic and political decisions and leadership in the state. For which schemes related to Sakhi-One Stop Center, Beti Bachao- Beti Padhao, Noni Suraksha Yojana, Nava Bihan Yojana, Saksham Yojana, self-reliance are being run by the state government.
At the same time, the use of information and communication technology is being promoted for the empowerment of women. The state has also ensured ownership and control of women as per the law on land, property etc. Many works are being done in the direction of improving the social, economic and nutritional status of women, protecting their constitutional interests and making them capable and aware to take advantage of the schemes.
The women of the state have woven a strong fabric of economic empowerment by joining self-help groups, which is an example. Along with fulfilling family responsibilities, these women work in Gauthans, are preparing cow dung lamps, pots, organic fertilizers to Ayurvedic medicines. Not only agricultural work, women in Chhattisgarh are successfully doing their own business.
As ‘Swachhata didi’, women are handling cleanliness work under Clean City Project, through the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), Bank Sakhis are providing village-to-village banking facilities through online kiosks, laptops and pay-point mobile devices. As part of Poultry rearing scheme in collaboration with Livestock Development Department, Kadaknath rooster rearing by women self-help groups in village panchayat Keralapal, Sukma to incense stick manufacturing by Self Help Groups under National Livelihood Mission ‘Bihaan’.
When it comes to women safety, under the Women Police Self-Service Chetna Yojana, 4 thousand 568 women volunteers are working as a bridge between the society and the police on gender-based issues in Durg and Korea districts of the state.
Raipur : Chhattisgarh tops in gender equality in Sustainable Development Goal Index 2020-21 : Niti Aayog releases SDG India Index report
