International Women’s Day 2023: Celebrating financial independence of women
09 Mar 2023, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan – On the occasion ofWomen’s Day on 8th March 2023, the Women and Child Development Department of Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, hosted an Award Ceremony recognizing women who had made an outstanding contribution. The Department awarded cash prizes and certificates in three categories, i.e. Indira Mahila Shakti, Mata Yashoda and Udaan.
Under Indira Mahila Shakti, six awards were given – three to individuals and three to NGOs for exemplary work. Under Mata Yashoda, 16 awards were given to the best Anganwadi workers and helpers from each of the eight blocks of Jhunjhunu. Under the Udaan category, 11 awards were given to those who have made a difference in the menstrual hygiene awareness in various blocks of Jhunjhunu.
Padma Shri Awardee Dr Swati Piramal, Vice-Chairperson, Piramal Group, and Director of Piramal Enterprises, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. She is also the Director of the Piramal Foundation, which focuses on the most marginalized groups within India, strengthening the ability of states to deploy impactful initiatives, and engaging youth in nation building efforts.
The event was co-chaired by District Collector Laxman Singh Kudi, CEO Zila Parishad Jawhar Singh, and District Treasury Officer Deepika Sahu.
In her address, Dr. Swati Piramal congratulated all the awardees and highlighted the importance of the role women play across generations. She shared, “Piramal Foundation is working in 27 states but Bagar, Jhunjhunu, is where it all began. Women from Jhunjhunu are known for their acts of bravery and courage. I believe that educating women and providing them employment brings revolution in civilization. One such initiative by Piramal Foundation, the Karuna Fellowship Program, is dedicated to giving rural women wings to fly.”
Laxman Singh Kudi, District Collector of Jhunjhunu, lauded the efforts of the women saying, “Women from Jhunjhunu are doing good in various industries across the nation and forging ahead, and becoming more self-reliant. When it comes to financial management, women are always one step ahead. My goal is to enable all women in the district to advance financially.”
The event was also attended by Shri Viplav Neola, Deputy Director, Jhunjhunu, who added, “I am a proud father of 50,000 daughters of this district and would like to acknowledge all of them on International Women’s Day. Along with the district administration, we have launched ‘Mission She’ to empower and employ all women.”
The event was attended by over 1,500 people. Six stalls showcased hand made products by Self Help Groups (SHGs). Jhunjhunu has amongst the most efficient networks of SHGs, which meet weekly, wherein women deposit INR 100, which has resulted in an overall corpus of INR 12.19 crore through 5,000 SHGs.
SHGs have progressed from being small creditors and savings groups to becoming one of the largest financial institutions, especially in tier 3 towns like Jhunjhunu. This demonstrates the contribution of women towards our economy and nation building.