Women should come together to lead Viksit Bharat vision: Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy urged that women in the country come together to achieve the goal of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047 and to position India as a global leader on the world stage.

He addressed an event organised by Coal India Limited and the Ministry of Minies ahead of International Women’s Day, with a theme “Celebrating Women in Mining Sector”, recognising and empowering women in the mining sector. The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Satish Chandra Dubey, and the Minister of Women and Child Welfare, Telangana, D Anasuya (Seethakka).

Listing various initiatives of the Centre for empowering women, he said currently, 15 per cent of Air Force pilots in India are women, a statistic that no other country in the world can match. He said women have been business leaders for a long time, heading banks and making strides in boardrooms. Their influence can be seen in sectors like ISRO, medical research, education, and now, mining, demonstrating the power of women across various fields.

Efforts are underway to specifically employ women in Singareni to further enhance their participation. It is encouraging that the Jyoti Women Leadership Program in Coal India provides special training to develop leadership qualities in women. “I have directed the Department of Coal and Mines and Coal India to take steps to ensure that women make up 100 per cent of the workforce in the mining sector, from officers to workers”, he said.

Union Minister of State Satish Chandra Dubey highlighted government initiatives aimed at promoting gender diversity. Minister of Women and Child Welfare in Telangana, Seethakka, reiterated the government’s commitment to empowering women in all sectors, including mining, through supportive policies and initiatives.