Agartala, Aug 20: Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha has stressed the need to increase opportunities for women in education, skill development and economic self-reliance, alongside ensuring their safety and security.
The Chief Minister called for sustained efforts to create social awareness against child marriage and substance abuse, promote cyber safety, strengthen women’s security and empower women through skill development.
He made the remarks while chairing two consecutive meetings with the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Tripura Commission for Women at the Secretariat on Thursday.
Dr. Saha said administrative measures alone would not be sufficient and that a positive change in society’s mindset must be brought about through greater awareness. He called for regular seminars, workshops and awareness programmes, while suggesting the use of creative mediums, including theatre, to reach people more effectively.
He also stressed the need to identify problems faced by women and children at the local level and take steps to resolve them, including counselling wherever necessary. He suggested involving prominent citizens, academicians, social workers, intellectuals and women from self-help groups in awareness campaigns.
The meeting placed particular emphasis on sustained awareness programmes against child marriage, substance abuse and cybercrime, with a special focus on cyber safety for women. The Chief Minister also took stock of the condition of children staying in various homes across the state.
Dr. Saha stressed that such children should be provided with proper education, care and opportunities for skill development so that they can become self-reliant and establish themselves in society in the future.
On women’s empowerment, the Chief Minister said ensuring women’s safety must go hand in hand with expanding their access to education, skill development and economic opportunities. He emphasised skill training to make women financially independent and enable them to participate more actively in the social and economic mainstream.
At the beginning of the meeting, Special Secretary of the Social Welfare and Social Education Department Tapan Kumar Das presented a visual report detailing the programmes undertaken by the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The report covered school and home inspections, counselling initiatives, prevention of child marriage and various awareness programmes.
Representatives of the Tripura Commission for Women also briefed the meeting on women’s rights, safety and empowerment, as well as the commission’s future plans.
Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy, Tripura State Commission for Women Chairperson Jharna Debbarma, Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairperson Jayanti Debbarma, Chief Minister’s Secretary Kiran Gitte, Secretary Apurba Roy, Secretary P.K. Goel and senior officials of the concerned departments attended the meeting.