43 pc women village leaders reflect UP's progressive thinking: Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 19 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that 43 per cent women are village leaders that reflect the progressive thinking of women in the state.
Addressing a meeting with officials, Yogi said, "Demand for 33 per cent reservation for women has been continuously rising, and reservation has also been given in Panchayats. I am happy to say that in Uttar Pradesh, 43 per cent instead of 33 per cent women are village leaders, which reflects the progressive thinking of women in the state."
The Chief Minister said that the Panchayat buildings will now function as the village secretariat.
"We are going to connect all gram panchayats of the state with optical fiber. The Panchayat buildings will now function as the village secretariat. Through these, women will get employment in the form of 'Banking Correspondent Sakhi' along with caste and basic residence proofs in the village itself."
Meanwhile attending the e-inauguration ceremony of community toilets and Panchayat Bhawan in the state, he said, "We achieved the target of making Uttar Pradesh 100 per cent open defecation free. Building community toilets are part of the Swachh Bharat Mission."
Speaking on the drinking water in schools, he said that the government has made an action plan to provide drinking water in every Anganwadi and school in the state within the next 100 days.
"I assure you that a comprehensive action plan has been prepared to ensure availability of pure drinking water in every Anganwadi and school in the state within the next 100 days. Programmes for supply of pure drinking water in every school have started," he said.
Earlier in the day, Adityanath inaugurated One District, One Product (ODOP) virtual fair which will conclude on October 23.
"I am happy to inaugurate a virtual fair amid COVID-19 crisis and for this I would like to thank the MSME Department. I would also like to thank the buyers and sellers who are connected via this fair today. This virtual fair has been organised starting from today till October 23 in collaboration with FICCI," said Adityanath. (ANI)