Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan
Why in News?
On April 13, 2026 Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a national-level conference at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi for serves as a precursor to a critical three-day special session of Parliament between April 16 to 18, 2026, where the government plans to discuss and pass amendments to expedite the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Act).
About
- Implementation Timeline: The original 2023 Act stipulated implementation only after a new census and delimitation. The government is now pushing to ensure it is implemented by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
- Census Linkage: News reports suggest the government may decouple the reservation from the ongoing 2026 census or use 2011 census data to avoid further delays in delimitation.
- National Awareness: The Sammelan brought together women achievers from fields like science, sports, and entrepreneurship to celebrate "Women-Led Development".
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (The Act)
- Reservation: It mandates 33% (one-third) reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
- Origin: Passed unanimously by both houses of Parliament in September 2023.
- Goal: To increase women's representation in the highest decision-making bodies of the country.
Purpose of the Sammelan (The Conference)
- Theme: Focused on "Panchayat to Parliament," highlighting the progression of women's leadership across all levels of governance.
- Engagement: Aimed at reinforcing the government's commitment to making women lead participants in India's journey to becoming a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047.
- Tributes: The event also marked Baisakhi and paid tribute to the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Major Highlights from the Prime Minister’s Address
- Historic Decision: PM Modi described the current legislative moves as "one of the biggest decisions of the 21st century".
- Welfare Schemes: Mentioned past initiatives like Ujjwala Yojana, Matru Vandana Yojana, and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana as the foundation for this legislative step.
- Maternity Benefits: Highlighted the extension of maternity leave to 26 weeks as a sign of progress.
Implementation Challenges and Proposed Solutions
- Delimitation Requirement: Originally, the reservation was tied to the completion of a census and subsequent redrawing of constituency boundaries (delimitation).
- 2029 Target: Both the government and opposition have expressed that waiting until the 2030s is unacceptable; hence, the current push for an amendment to guarantee 2029 implementation.
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