TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Women from all sections of Goan society today hailed Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s Union Budget which they feel will socially and economically empower women both in Goa and the country as a whole.
While some regretted that it took the Delhi rape incident to awaken the political patraos at the Centre, Regina Almeida, teacher and activist said, “Better late than never.” Almeida opined that whatever initiatives were announced in the budget Thursday should not remain on paper and should be a reality within the quickest possible time.
She said, “It is also important to ensure that in the banking sector, the women’s bank should have the right people in the right place and ensure that this initiative is taken to the rural areas where it is needed the most.”
Interestingly, Kamalja Raut, Assistant General Manager, Region I (North Goa) for State Bank of India (SBI) said, “The move to have a women’s bank is welcome and should make its humble beginnings in the metro cities before it reaches the rural sectors.”
For Raut, the Union Finance Minister’s budget announcements ‘for women’ came as a double dhamaka being a banker and a socially concerned woman.
“Women are good financial managers for the home and I must add that on the work front too ~ in banks they are very efficient,” she said, pointing out that in her region most of the key counters are handled by women.
She expressed confidence that the women’s bank will do well. In her opinion whatever initiatives announced by the finance minister Thursday would overall empower women and provide all kinds of security measures whether financially and in society.
Pamela Mascarenhas, Deputy Director, Tourism Department said, “The budget proposals for women’s empowerment should reach those at the grass roots who need it more.”
She was in tandem with Almeida that what ever initiatives, schemes should be implemented to ensure that women can be helped to attain financial stability and self-sufficiency.
Ruth Furtado, Corporator of the Panjim City Corporation said, “Women’s empowerment is the need of the hour. It is not enough that they remain within the four walls of a home anymore.” Furtado reiterated that women should come to the fore in every segment of society whether in education, agriculture, IT and politics.
Shanti Masurkar, a housewife from Margao said, “The finance minister may have announced measures for empowering women but whether it reaches the aam aurath is left to be seen.”
Ayesha Barretto, journo and now RJ on Indigo 91.9 said, “The finance minister’s initiatives for empowering women are excellent but very open-ended. There needs to be focus on issues that will actually empower women rather than just dishing out a blanket deal.”
In her opinion, women’s safety and security is of paramount importance and a lot safety measures are expected to be put in place from the budget package announced Thursday.
“Women have to be provided a safe environment while being empowered in the existing social set up,” she emphasized.
