@@.......Omar cautions society against female foeticide, drug addiction........@@ Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Saturday underlined the role of women in checking the menace of female foeticide and drug addiction among the youth describing these dangerous threats tothe future of the State. Speaking at a function after he launched UMEED Programme for women empowerment and welfare with All India Congress Committee Vice-President, Rahul Gandhi here the Chief Minister said that the reports of female foeticide from JK are of greater concern and alarming while drug addiction among the youth is equally disturbing. Omar said that these two dangerous social diseases, if not restricted well in time, the future of the State would be endangered. He said the women groups to be organized under UMEED have a special role to play in eradicating these evils. He called upon them to focus on these important concerns and safeguard the future of the State. “While attending other socio-economic problems, the society are confronted with, women have to divert special attention for checking female foeticide and drug addiction”, Omar said as Rahul was in chair at the stage along with Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, AICC General Secretary and Kashmir Affairs In-Charge Mohan Prakash and State Congress chief Prof Saifudin Soz at Budgam Sports Stadium here in central Kashmir. Omar assured full support of his government for the success of UMEED and referred the efforts of Union Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh and All India Congress Committee Vice-President Rahul Gandhi for getting this Rs 750 crore Programme through at the Union Government level. He sought similar support of Rahul Gandhi in getting cleared various other issues of Jammu and Kashmir pendingwith the Union Government. Omar said that empowerment of women in the State has been flagged as a focused areaby his government and 33 percent reservation in Panchayat Elections for Women vindicates this intension. He lauded the women of Jammu and Kashmir for actively participating in women empowerment programmes and said that the contesting of women candidates for all 33 percent reserved Panchayat Halqas determines the courage and enthusiasm of women of the State to be equal part in the development process. Omar said that the UMEED programme which was last year launched for only four blocks of the State would now cover entire Jammu and Kashmir. He said the programmewould help in a big way to organize women and empower them to address the socio-economic issues and create wide-ranging livelihood earning opportunities for women. The Chief Minister said the poverty in Jammuand Kashmir is not as severe as that of Jarkhand, Chatisgarh and other such parts ofthe Country. He said that all credit for this goes to late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah who conferred the land ownership rights to farmers and made them owners of the land eradicating their poverty. He said with the increase in population the pressure on agriculture land has increased many folds, assuch, the need for creating new avenues of income generation for rural population has attained important dimension. He said UMEED like initiatives would address this need to a greater extent. He thanked Rahul Gandhi for visiting the State and launching the scheme for entire Jammu and Kashmir today.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 02:38:45 +0000