CHANDIGARH: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday positioned women’s political participation as central to making democracy more “sensitive, inclusive and accountable”, asserting that women representatives are not merely witnesses to change but its “architects”.Addressing the concluding session of the National Commission for Women’s two-day ‘She Is A Change Maker’ programme at Surajkund in Faridabad, Saini said elected women representatives must go beyond constituency representation and play a larger role in shaping policy, governance and social priorities.“An MLA’s role is to transform the voice of the people into policy,” Saini said, stressing that legislative effectiveness should be judged not by the volume of speeches in the House but by an elected representative’s understanding of issues, study of facts and ability to propose practical solutions.He said women legislators have an additional responsibility as their interventions often reflect wider concerns of women, families and communities.Raising constituency issues with facts, participating meaningfully in debates on Bills and holding the government accountable were among the key responsibilities he outlined for elected representatives.Saini also used the occasion to underline Haryana’s political and welfare initiatives for women.He said the state has provided 50 per cent representation to women in Panchayati Raj Institutions, arguing that development cannot be complete without the effective participation of half the population.Seeking to highlight the BJP-led government’s women-centric agenda, Saini credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government with strengthening women’s economic and political participation through initiatives including Jan Dhan accounts, Mudra, Ujjwala and self-help groups.\He also referred to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, describing women’s reservation as a major step towards greater participation in decision-making.On the state government’s welfare measures, Saini said the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi scheme provides Rs 2,100 monthly assistance to women, with around Rs 2,000 crore transferred to beneficiaries in 10 instalments.He said nearly 15 lakh families are receiving LPG cylinders at Rs 500 under the Har Ghar-Har Grihini scheme, with more than Rs 340 crore provided as subsidy.Saini further claimed that women now account for 50% of Haryana’s startup participation, with the government targeting 60%, while 500 women cultural centres have been established.NCW chairperson Vijaya K Rahatkar said the programme aimed to strengthen women legislators’ leadership, governance and public-representation skills.Women representatives from around 22 states and Union Territories participated in discussions on legislation, economic empowerment, governance and leadership.Saini said the programme’s “Change Maker” message would have meaning only if the ideas and experiences shared translate into visible changes in policies and people’s lives.
