Panipat, Dec 9 : Saying ‘insurance for all’ is a key to social security and crucial to eradicate poverty, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched the ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ from this city, a symbol of women’s power, in Haryana from where he launched ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ on January 22, 2015. The ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ initiative by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) aims to empower women aged 18-70 years, who have completed Class X. This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to fostering gender equality and empowering women in various sectors. As part of the event, the Prime Minister distributed appointment certificates to prospective Bima Sakhis or insurance agents, under the ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ under which the goal is to provide employment opportunities to two lakh women.

Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said, “The significance of the ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ is not only in the income they generate but also in its contribution to the development of our country. ‘Insurance for all’ is a key to social security and crucial to eradicate poverty.” He said: “Our government has taken unprecedented steps for women's empowerment in the past 10 years. Today, I am very happy to launch the Bima Sakhi Yojana and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of development projects in Panipat.”

He said: “Today India is taking another strong step towards women’s empowerment. Today is a special day for many other reasons. Today is the 9th, the number 9 is considered very auspicious in the scriptures. The number 9 is associated with the nine powers of Nav Durga. The first meeting of the constituent Assembly was held on December 9. Today, when the country is celebrating 75 years of the Constitution, this date of December 9 inspires us to make equality and development all-encompassing.” Praising the BJP government in the state led by Nayab Singh Saini, he said that the people of Haryana are patriots who have adopted the mantra of ‘Ek hain to safe hain’ (When we are united, we are safe) which has become an example for the rest of the country.

“A few years ago, I had the privilege of starting the ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ campaign from Panipat. It had a positive impact not only in Haryana but in the entire country. Now, after 10 years, ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ has been started for sisters and daughters from this land of Panipat. Our Panipat has become a symbol of women's power,” the Prime Minister said. Simultaneously, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of the main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University in Karnal. The main campus and six regional research stations, spread over 495 acres, will be established at a cost of over Rs 700 crore. Expressing his unflinching relationship and attachment with Haryana, the Prime Minister thanked the people for electing them to power for the third time in a row.

He said the newly formed state government was being praised from all quarters despite being formed recently. He said the country has witnessed the way thousands of youth have got permanent jobs here without corruption after the formation of the government. Thanking the women of Haryana, Modi said he had launched the Bima Sakhi scheme, which provides employment to the women of the country. Recounting his privilege of launching the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign from Panipat, a few years ago, the Prime Minister underlined that it had a positive impact in Haryana as well as the entire country.

He said in Haryana alone lives of thousands of daughters' were saved in the last decade. “Now after a decade, the Bima Sakhi Yojana for sisters and daughters is being launched from this very land of Panipat.” Highlighting that India was treading forward with the resolution of Viksit Bharat by 2047, PM Modi said from 1947 till today, the energy of every class and region has taken India to this height. The Prime Minister stressed that it was imperative to ensure ample opportunities and remove every obstacle in their way to empower women. He added that when women were empowered, new doors of opportunities opened for the country.

The Prime Minister said the foundation of the Bima Sakhi programme was based on years of hard work and penance. Noting that most women lacked bank accounts after six decades of Independence, he said women were cut off from the entire banking system. Expressing pride over 30 crore women accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Modi said his government opened the Jan Dhan accounts for women to ensure that subsidies like gas subsidies reach the responsible hands of the family. Recollecting that women were not insured earlier, PM Modi remarked that today a campaign was started to make lakhs of women insurance agents or Bima Sakhi. He added that now women will also lead the expansion of sectors like insurance.

/IANS