By IANS,
Chandigarh: Rural women in Haryana will get “women chaupals” – an exclusive common meeting place for them – in all villages across the state.
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Thursday that the women chaupals, each costing Rs.300,000 and having a covered shed, would be constructed in all villages in a phased manner.
Nearly 100 model villages in the state have already got these women chaupals. The first phase of the project was started by the Haryana government in 2008-09.
Villages having more that 50 per cent scheduled castes population and 10,000 residents are being covered in the existing phase, Hooda added.
“The idea is to provide a common meeting place to women where they can interact on various problems related to their village and play their due role in the socio- economic development of the state,” Haryana government officials said here.
Panchayats (village councils) which construct the chaupals within five months will get a reward of Rs.20,000. The money can be used for the welfare of the village.
“Empowerment of women is the top priority of the Haryana government. We want to ensure effective participation of elected women representatives,” Hooda said.