Delhi CM Rekha Gupta attends ‘Nari Utsav’ at Nirmal Chhaya

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday attended the ‘Nari Utsav’ programme held at the Nirmal Chhaya Complex, where she paid tribute to the strength and contribution of women in nation-building. She said women, through their dedication, selfless service and sense of duty, are playing a leading role across sectors and driving the country towards the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.During her visit, the Chief Minister toured the Nirmal Chhaya campus and reviewed various schemes, services and facilities. She also launched and assessed several initiatives of the Department of Women and Child Development, reiterating the Delhi government’s commitment to the holistic empowerment of women and children.CM Gupta noted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, women are scaling new heights–from rural industries to corporate sectors, and from politics to the armed forces–and said the Delhi government is working in the same direction to make women more empowered and self-reliant.Emphasising safety, dignity and self-reliance as the three pillars of women’s empowerment, Gupta said every woman deserves a secure environment, respect in all circumstances, and opportunities to become financially independent.She also announced that the upcoming Delhi Budget, to be presented on March 24, will include key initiatives for women and girls. Highlighting the importance of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), she said women in Delhi will be provided employment and entrepreneurship opportunities through small group-based models. She also stressed the need to expand platforms like ‘Mahila Haat’ to help women showcase and sell their products.The Chief Minister said the government’s focus is not just on launching schemes, but on ensuring their effective implementation so that benefits reach every needy individual. She underlined the shared responsibility of society in ensuring that no one is left hungry, unemployed or neglected.After the event, Gupta conducted a detailed inspection of the Nirmal Chhaya Complex. She visited the After Care Home for Women, Balika Grih and Bal Niketan to ensure that residents are receiving proper care, safety and facilities. She interacted with children, distributed bags and essential items, and reviewed arrangements related to safety, nutrition and overall care, issuing necessary directions to officials.Rekha Gupta also visited the Sankalp Hub, where activities related to women’s safety, awareness and empowerment under Mission Shakti were showcased. At the SHG-run ‘Mahila Haat’, she reviewed local products and exhibitions, including nutritious millet-based dishes.Interacting with women trained under the WCD-DSEU programme, the Chief Minister appreciated the launch of SHG-run canteens at 10 locations, calling it a strong model for promoting women’s entrepreneurship.Gupta further inspected the ‘Samarth Anganwadi’, where upgraded infrastructure, multi-dimensional activities, and health and wellness services were on display. She reviewed preventive health check-ups, wellness counselling, and menstrual hygiene awareness programmes for women.During the programme, the Chief Minister launched several key initiatives, including a compendium of schemes related to women and children and the WCD newsletter. She also distributed health mix kits to pregnant and lactating mothers, provided incentives to Anganwadi workers, and launched the Juvenile Justice Management Information System (JJMIS) portal to improve child-centric service delivery.Under the ‘Give to Gain’ initiative, she called for stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector to enhance Anganwadi centres and child care institutions. The initiative will support the installation of sanitary napkin vending machines, infrastructure upgrades, expansion of mobile health services, and new programmes for women and children, along with creating livelihood opportunities for women and SHGs.The chief minister reaffirmed that the government remains fully committed to empowering women, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for children, and uplifting vulnerable sections of society. She added that when women are empowered, both society and the nation grow stronger–and Delhi is moving firmly in that direction.