Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on Thursday expressed dismay over the low repayment of loans taken by students.
Ms. Bedi was addressing a gathering, mostly girls, on the occasion of the International Girl Child Day.
The Lieutenant Governor said it had become difficult for the Adi Dravidar Department to issue fresh loans because of non-repayment by students. Students who were getting scholarships too had taken loans. “Even after securing a job, the students have not been able to repay the loan. This will affect issuance of fresh loans to the needy students,” she said.
Ms. Bedi said empowerment of women should start from within. “No child is lesser than the other because of gender. You should instil the feeling that you are strong. If you think you are weak, you are weak. You are no less than nobody else,” Ms. Bedi said. Urging students to put in hard work, the Lt. Governor said extra work while pursuing studies would help achieve better things in life. “If you are not successful in life, you have to be blamed. No one else is responsible for it,” she said.
Stringent laws
In his address, Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said his government would ensure that women had a secure life in the Union Territory.
On the atrocities against women, he said even after enacting stringent laws to punish the offenders unfortunate things were happening to women. The Centre recently introduced a law to give death sentence to offenders. The death sentence would act as a deterrent, he said.
The territorial administration would take all steps needed to ensure safety of women.
Women’s empowerment
Women’s empowerment had come a long way, he said and added that the top positions, including that of the Lt Governor and Director General of Police, here were held by women.
Speaker V. Vaithilingam said girl children had become an asset for the family unlike in the past when they were considered a burden.
Social Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy; Secretary to Government, Information Technology Padma Jaiswal; Secretary to Government, Law, J Juliet Pushpa; and Secretary to Government, Welfare, R. Alice Vaz participated in the function.