Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday emphasized the need for holistic women empowerment, particularly in the political sphere, while addressing a special one-day session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly on the topic ‘Women’s Contribution in Indian Democracy’.
CM Majhi thanked the Speaker for providing an opportunity to discuss this important subject and expressed hope that all members would contribute with thoughtful opinions.
Addressing the special session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, CM Majhi said, “Seventy-five years after the adoption of our Constitution, our country has made significant progress in many sectors. However, even today, half of India’s population feels deprived and cheated. All political parties have been discussing women empowerment for decades, but their definition remains very narrow. For many, women empowerment only means providing some financial assistance through Self-Help Groups (SHGs). They think that by forming SHGs and giving money, women become empowered. This is a completely wrong perception. True empowerment means giving women the right to take decisions for themselves, their families, and society. Real women empowerment can only be achieved when they are empowered socially, economically, and politically.”
CM Majhi also praised the extraordinary contributions and achievements of women in modern India.
“Today, nearly 80 years after Independence, the daughters and women of our country have excelled in every field. From managing households to driving autos and buses, they are now also flying fighter planes,” CM Majhi said.
Recalling the courage and competence of Indian women in the armed forces, the Chief Minister stated, “During the Balakot airstrike, a brave and skilled woman radar engineer of the Indian Air Force played a pivotal role in bringing down Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jet. Similarly, during Operation Sindoor, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh became the face of the Indian Army. This is the true power of Nari Shakti in modern India.”
CM Majhi further emphasized the critical role of women in the education sector. Citing UDISE+ data, he said, “In the year 2023-24, women constitute 53.3 per cent of school teachers and 43 per cent of faculty in higher education. This means a large part of the nation’s education system rests on the shoulders of women.”
He added, “Women are laying the foundation for the country’s future by shaping the next generation of doctors, engineers, scientists, and leaders. If they can do all this, why can’t they take leadership roles in the country? Today’s women are capable of achieving the impossible. They only need equal opportunities and a level playing field. However, in our male-dominated society, obstacles are often created to prevent women from getting these opportunities.”
Majhi strongly criticized opposition parties for their alleged double standards and delay tactics on the issue of women’s reservation in Parliament and State Assemblies.
Speaking in the special session, CM Majhi said, “If I give an example of providing reservation to women in Parliament and State Legislatures, we see that sometimes demands are raised in the name of reservation for backward classes and at other times in the name of Muslim women. Under such pretexts, the real issue of giving justice to women has been neglected for decades. The members of this House know very well that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has always supported the Women’s Reservation Bill at all times. The friends from the Congress party are present here today. In 1984, their party had 414 seats in the Lok Sabha and 159 seats in the Rajya Sabha — that is not two-thirds, but nearly three-fourths majority. Yet, they failed to pass this important bill. Those who are pointing fingers at us today must first look at their own history.”
Targeting the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), CM Majhi further said, “The respected members of the Biju Janata Dal are trying to take credit for providing 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institutions. They will repeat this claim even today during the discussion. However, when the question of reservation for women in Legislative Assemblies and Parliament arises, why do they adopt an anti-women stance?”
CM alleged that opposition leaders are opposing women’s reservation because it directly affects their own political interests.
CM Majhi said, “The honourable members sitting here and the top leaders of their parties will never contest Panchayat or Zilla Parishad elections. That is why even if there is 100% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institutions, they have no problem, because their personal interests are not harmed. However, if reservation for women is implemented in the Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha, their own political interests will definitely be affected. That is why they are opposing this bill on one pretext or another.”
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister further stated, “There is no parallel in independent India to the contribution made by our visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji in bringing women forward in politics. Today, an daughter of Odisha’s soil, Droupadi Murmu, is adorning the highest constitutional post of the country as President of India. It was Honourable Prime Minister Modi ji who provided the necessary political support to make this possible. In our government, a dynamic woman like Pravati Parida is enhancing the dignity of the Odisha Legislative Assembly as the state’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister and is making significant contributions to the upliftment of women.”
CM lauded Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for creating history by presenting the Union Budget nine consecutive times in the Lok Sabha, calling it an all-time record.
“Despite continuous attacks from the opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has reposed complete faith in her,” CM Majhi said. He further stated that after Indira Gandhi, Nirmala Sitharaman is perhaps the first woman to continuously serve for seven years as a member of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), where she gives her valuable inputs on the country’s most important decisions.
The Chief Minister added, “Prime Minister Modi ji has taken several initiatives since the beginning to empower the women of the country, not just in politics but in all spheres of life. In the last 10 years under his leadership, there has been a massive transformation in the quality of life of women. For instance, 69% of loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and 84% of beneficiaries under Stand-Up India are women. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), 72% of houses have been registered in the name of women, giving them ownership rights within the family. Today, 43% of women graduates in India are in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) streams. In school education, women teachers constitute 57 to 60 per cent, and in higher education, 45 per cent of faculty members are women. This clearly shows the immense contribution of women in nation-building.”
Speaking about Odisha-specific initiatives, CM Majhi said: “Our main goal is to build a ‘Prosperous Odisha’ as part of a ‘Developed India’. In this journey, we have launched the transformative Subhadra Yojana to make the mothers and sisters of Odisha economically self-reliant. This is not just a financial assistance scheme, but a grand effort to make more than one crore women ‘Atmanirbhar’. The journey from ‘Subhadra’ to ‘Lakhpati Didi’ will bring prosperity to every household in Odisha. We are also providing assistance to girls from poor families under the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah Yojana. So far, more than Rs 1.71 crore has been directly transferred to 388 girls for their marriage. For the financial year 2026-27, we have allocated Rs 11.83 crore for this scheme. On the health front, we have integrated the state’s Mamata Yojana with the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. Under this, approximately Rs 496.37 crore has been provided to 4.57 lakh women in 2025-26. We have also taken significant steps under the Poshan Abhiyan and Aashirbad Yojana. To ensure safety and justice for women, we have established Nari Adalat at the grassroots level.”
CM Majhi concluded by expressing confidence in women’s growing role in democracy: “Today, in Indian democracy, women are not just voters but active participants. Nearly 14.5 lakh women are elected representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions across the country. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam aims to give further momentum to this representation. I assure this House that from the 2029 general elections, Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji will definitely implement reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.”
He also dismissed the concerns raised by the Leader of Opposition regarding seat delimitation, saying the fears were completely baseless and that no one’s political interests would be harmed.
He praised the Modi government for its sensitivity towards women by making 926 One Stop Centres functional across the country and increasing maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
Speaking in the special session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, CM Majhi said, “I am happy to share that women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Odisha are today playing a pivotal role in the economic development of rural areas. To empower them financially, in the year 2025-26, we have provided interest subvention of Rs 724.32 crore to 3.80 lakh SHG groups. In the coming days, this interest subvention facility will be extended up to 10 lakh SHG groups. Our goal is to transform every mother in Odisha into a ‘Lakhpati Didi’. Real development will happen only when an ordinary village woman actively participates in digital banking and modern agriculture.”
Asserting the growing role of women in democracy, the Chief Minister stated: “In Indian democracy today, women are not merely voters but active participants. Nearly 14.5 lakh women are working as elected representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions at the grassroots level, thereby proving their capability. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is aimed at giving further momentum to this representation. The steps taken by Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji to implement this Act from the 2029 general elections were obstructed by the opposition parties, which only reflects their narrow mindset. However, this is only a temporary pause. I assure this House that from 2029 onwards, Prime Minister Modi ji will definitely implement reservation for women in both Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly.”
Referring to the concerns raised by the Leader of Opposition regarding the delimitation of seats, CM Majhi said, “The Leader of Opposition had written to me requesting a special session to discuss the Women’s Reservation Bill and had expressed some apprehensions about seat allocation. However, the Union Home Minister has clearly stated in Parliament that the number of seats in the Lok Sabha will be increased to 850. Accordingly, the number of seats in the Odisha Legislative Assembly will also increase by 50 per cent. Therefore, the fears of the opposition parties are completely baseless and no one’s political interests will be harmed.”
