Would pass women quota bill when we have majority in RS: Naidu

Amaravati: The NDA government would pass the long-pending legislation providing 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures "once we get majority in Rajya Sabha", Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu announced here Friday.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has this in mind and the day is not is far when Parliament will pass the law providing women reservation through consensus. Once we (NDA) get majority in Rajya Sabha, we will get the Bill passed," Naidu said, addressing the National Women's Parliament here today.

"A mere Bill is not sufficient. What is needed is political will and administrative skill. Political parties should show conviction in this regard," he said.

Noting that gender inequality was having a serious impact on economic development, Venkaiah said focus should be on gender empowerment to end inequalities.

"On a scale of 0-1 in gender inequality index, India ranked 0.54. Gender inequality is having a serious impact on economic development and it has become a pressing concern across the world. Hence, there is a global demand for women empowerment," the Union Minister said.

The three-day National Women's Parliament, being organised by Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly with the theme of 'Empowering Women - Strengthening Democracy', began today in the state capital of Amaravati.

Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, Union Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and P Ashok Gajapati Raju, AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi, Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Shirin Chaudhury, Gandhian Ela Bhatt, actress Manisha Koirala and many other dignitaries attended the inaugural event at Pavitra Sangamam here.

The vision of NWP is to enable and encourage social, political and economic empowerment of women in all strata of the society. One of the objectives of NWP is to generate new ideas, theories and ideologies for women empowerment.

An 'International Woman Icon of the World' award and 12 best young achievers awards for women in different fields will be presented at the NWP.

There would be seven plenary sessions at the event with discussions on subjects like socio-political challenges in women empowerment, women's status and decision-making, building own identity and vision for the future.

AP Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao had yesterday said as many as 91 women parliamentarians, 401 legislators, 300 social and corporate sector women leaders from India and abroad are expected to attend the NWP, while over 10,000 "socially and politically sensitive" girl students will be networked with the leaders.