Centre committed to introduce Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha: Sonia Gandhi

NEW DELHI - Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government has given the Right to Information (RTI) and National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) after coming to power, and added that it is also committed to introducing the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha.

“Ever since we came into the Government in 2004, we have ushered in an era of transformative change. We have fulfilled many of the promises in our party manifestos. The Right to Information has become part and parcel of the country’s discourse. The Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is one of our landmark achievements,” said Sonia Gandhi.

“Despite stiff opposition, we ensured that the Bill enabling 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies was passed by the Rajya Sabha earlier this year. We are committed to its passage in the Lok Sabha. We have increased the quota for women in local bodies from 33 percent to 50 percent,” she added, while addressing a meeting of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) here today, which is being held after 13 years.

Sonia Gandhi further said the Central Government is committed to ‘Food Security Bill’ and ‘Land Acquisition Act’ so that farmers get decent compensation.andhi had earlier directed State units to ensure that a third of the members of the AICC and Pradesh Congress Committees are women.

Continuing to be proactive on the issue of women empowerment, Gandhi said there should be 33 per cent reservation for women while deciding the All India Congress Committee members, a central leader said.

The controversial, yet historic Women’s Reservation Bill, ensuring 33 percent reservation to women in Parliament and State legislative bodies, was passed in the Rajya Sabha on March 9.

A two-third majority passed the Bill that was pushed by the Government despite the threat of withdrawal of support by Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Of the votes polled, 186 were in favour of the Bill and only one was against.

The Bill seeks to reserve for women 181 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha and 1,370 out of a total of 4,109 seats in the 28 State Assemblies. (ANI)