West Bengal Minister Calls for Stronger Public–Industry Partnership to Accelerate Women’s Empowerment
By Suman Munshi
Chief Editor, IBG NEWS
Kolkata, August 5: Strengthening women’s leadership, ensuring safer workplaces, expanding entrepreneurship, and promoting inclusive economic growth were the central themes of a special session jointly organised by the Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) and the MCCI Ladies Forum at the MCCI Conference Hall in Kolkata.
The programme, titled “Empowering Women, Enabling India: Leadership, Safety, Entrepreneurship & Inclusive Growth,” was attended by Malati Rava Roy, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Department of Women & Child Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, along with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and representatives from social organisations.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that meaningful social and economic progress is not possible without the active participation of women in every sphere of development. She reaffirmed the West Bengal Government’s commitment to strengthening women’s empowerment and highlighted efforts aimed at increasing women’s representation in democratic institutions, including local self-government bodies, while supporting broader discussions on greater legislative representation.
Emphasising the importance of grassroots development, the Minister described Self-Help Groups (SHGs) as a key instrument for enhancing women’s economic independence and community participation. She noted that the Department of Women & Child Development is working closely with the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development to strengthen SHGs across rural West Bengal. She also suggested exploring community-based self-help initiatives involving men to encourage wider social participation and balanced rural development.
Inviting greater collaboration between the government, industry, academia, and civil society, Malati Rava Roy encouraged experts and stakeholders to contribute innovative ideas for designing effective welfare programmes. She said the government remains open to constructive suggestions and assured participants that practical recommendations would receive careful consideration.
Speaking on behalf of the MCCI Ladies Forum, Shruti Jhajharia, Co-Chairperson of the Forum, stressed the need to create an enabling environment where women can thrive through improved safety, easier access to finance, stronger leadership opportunities, entrepreneurship support, and equitable workplaces.
Highlighting the growing contribution of women to India’s economy, she noted that women account for nearly 43 per cent of the country’s STEM graduates, placing India among the global leaders in female participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She also pointed out that more than 10 crore women are associated with Self-Help Groups under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission, promoting financial inclusion and grassroots development, while nearly one-fifth of India’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are owned by women, making a significant contribution to employment generation and local economic activity.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Jaspreet Kaur, Member of the MCCI Ladies Forum and Director of the JIS Group. She called upon industry leaders, social organisations, and public institutions to work in close partnership with MCCI and the government to promote women’s empowerment, strengthen regional economic development, and advance inclusive and sustainable growth across the state.
