The NCP leader was addressing a seminar organised by IsquareIT

Rajya Sabha member and NCP leader Supriya Sule on Friday stressed the need for women's empowerment to achieve inclusive development in the truest sense.

Sule was delivering a lecture on 'Women Prowess' at a seminar organised by the International Institute of Information Technology (IsquareIT) as part of the International Women's Day celebrations on its Hinjewadi campus.

"It is a shame that in a country aspiring to be a superpower, one still has to make a lot of efforts to save the girl child. The country is facing many other problems including the caste system, which is a bane for India as it enters the 21st century. Only 11% children in the country get good quality education," she said.

She expressed concern over the widening gap between the rich and the poor. "Indian villages have access to modern technologies like the mobile phone, but no access to hygiene, education, electricity and safe drinking water," she lamented.

"It is a matter of concern that the country's population is growing unabated even as some sections of society are asking for reservations in different fields. Though the country's women have started becoming independent, there still remains a lot to be done to empower them," Sule stressed.

"We must now focus on accountability. Women are contributing significantly to the overall progress of the country. This has made the world sit up and take a note of it," she said, adding that even as the future generations may be successful in finding answers to the country's problems, it is essential that the women think what difference they can make in the present circumstances and how they can help the country achieve excellence.

Pimpri-Chinchwead mayor Aparna Doke, IsquareIT chief mentor Vijay Bhatkar, IsquareIT executive director Aruna Katara and DNA deputy resident editor Abhay Vaidya also spoke on the occasion.Rajya Sabha member Supriya Sule speaking at the seminar.

Archana Dahiwal/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication