NEW DELHI: "The seeds of gender equality have been sown in our country through many methods and will produce benefits for our community as a whole," said Bharati Pravin Pawar, minister of state for health, on Tuesday.

Women leading Change in Health and Science in India Conference, which Pawar co-chaired with Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (IC) Science and Technology, on Tuesday, was titled "Women Leading Change in Health and Science in India." "As a consequence, women empowerment will lead to an equitable, inclusive, and diverse growth story of India," Pawar said.

The event's Guest of Honor was Melinda French Gates.

In highlighting the significance of ASHA, the MoS Health stated that the fact that one million ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers, who remained at the forefront of healthcare service delivery in India, particularly as first line of defence in the crucial period of Covid-19, received the Global Health Leaders Award-2022 in the backdrop of the 75th World Health Assembly, speaks volumes about the importance of women's crucial role in progress, particularly in the health sector.

Pawar emphasised the many initiatives made by the Central government, highlighting that "the administration is committed to making women capable in every field." Through its institutions, scholarships, financial support, and other initiatives, the government has consistently worked to launch new programmes and continue those that have already been implemented. This has created a thriving environment where women may thrive and reach their full potential. We saw that this component of India's growth story received less attention after independence, but several measures have been taken thanks to the Prime Minister's visionary leadership. 

The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, the PM Jan Dhan Yojana, the MUDRA scheme for entrepreneurial ambitions, the Permanent Commission in our defence services, and flagship programmes like "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" are some of the notable interventions for not just the welfare of women but also their empowerment.

According to Jitendra Singh, gender-specific duties are a thing of the past, and women are assuming their rightful positions in society.

The government has implemented important measures, such as the Direct Benefit Transfer emergency cash transfer, a fantastic illustration of gender-intentional policy. Melinda French Gates hoped that the Centre would coordinate efforts to achieve common objectives and enhance the country's gender equality even further. "The government of India has been pushing forward from bottom up to develop a gender-equal country," she said.

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