Women’s reservation law to shape India’s future: LS Speaker Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the 33 per cent women’s reservation law will create a new generation of leaders shaping India’s future. Speaking in Tirupati, he urged 100 per cent literacy for girls, adding that empowered women are key to India’s development and governance

Tirupati: The women’s reservation law will create a new generation of leaders who will shape policies and usher in progress and determine the future of India, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said here on Sunday.

Inaugurating the first national conference of parliamentary and legislative committees on empowerment of women, Birla also made a strong pitch for achieving 100 per cent literacy among girl students, saying India can emerge as a developed nation only when its daughters are educated and self-reliant.

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“The next chapter of India’s story will, without doubt, be written by its empowered women,” Birla said. The two-day conference, organised by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, was attended by representatives from 20 states, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker C Ayyannapatrudu, and BJP leader and chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women D Purandeshwari, among others.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was scheduled to attend the conference, but could not reach Tirupati due to inclement weather. Addressing the gathering, Birla said the women’s reservation law goes beyond mere symbolism by granting women their rightful place in governance.

“It will create a new generation of women leaders who will shape policies, drive progress, and determine the future direction of India,” the Lok Sabha speaker said. Birla said it was a matter of pride that the very first Bill passed in the new Parliament building was the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam that ensures 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, with special provisions for women from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

He said from science to literature, from sports to space exploration, Indian women have exhibited excellence in every arena. “India has no shortage of determined women leaders whose outstanding achievements have made history. They overcame social barriers like gender discrimination through hard work and dedication, achieving their goals while igniting a wave of social transformation,” Birla said.

“Today, women are not just participants, but leaders, innovators, nurturers, and entrepreneurs. From space missions to village panchayats, from the kitchen to the boardroom, women are advancing with greater independence, strength, and determination,” the Lok Sabha speaker said.

He said that parliamentary committees always function above party politics, with the goal of removing challenges in the path of women’s empowerment and paving new ways for nation-building.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh said while many developed democracies took time to recognise the rights of women, India’s Constitution always looked at women as an integral part of social and economic development.

He said India has about 14.5 lakh elected women representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions and the landmark women’s reservation legislation will ensure that more women will be part of national leadership in times to come.