Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said that the empowerment of half of the population at every level is essential for the overall development of the country. He was addressing a mass wedding and talent felicitation ceremony in Bikaner, Rajasthan, today. He stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a comprehensive campaign for women’s welfare and empowerment is underway across the country.

Continuous and concrete steps are being taken to make women self-reliant. At present, more than two crore women have become “Lakhpati Didis,” and this number is expected to cross three crore in the near future. Mr. Chouhan said that daughters should be regarded as a blessing rather than a burden, as they care for their parents throughout their lives. He called upon young girls to dream big and work with full dedication and determination to turn those dreams into reality.