Bhubaneswar, Sep 21 (FN Representative) Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik toon Tuesday sought the support of the Second Chance Education Programme of UN Women to help women of the state, who have not completed their education to help improve their employability. Chief Minister Patnaik raised the issue when the country representative of UN Women Susan Jane Ferguson called on him at Naveen Nivas on Tuesday. Mr Patnaik said the state government had an objective to ensure that at least one third of the graduates from technical education would be girls. He said participation of women in technical education and further employment in industries is a priority of the state.
He cited the example of schemes like Sudakshya which has helped to increase enrolment of girls in ITIs from 6 per cent five years ago to 18 per cent recently. Stating that the manufacturing industries in recent times are witnessing a kind of revolution, looking for all-women factory floors, he said the UN Women can lead the efforts for ensuring facilities like quality accommodation and creches. The chief minister also spoke about the projects like World Skill Centre and wanted the UN Women to partner with such institutions to ensure gender parity and women participation in such projects. Ms Ferguson appreciated the state government’s initiatives regarding women empowerment.