Female foeticide worst sin, safety of women collective responsibility: U'khand Governor

Terming female foeticide as the "worst sin", Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya on Saturday said safety of daughters, right from the womb of their mothers, is the society's collective responsibility. "Daughters in our times have proved that if they get equal opportunities of education and employment they are no less than anyone," she said in a message to greet people on the eve of Republic Day.

Women should be respected and given equal treatment both at home and at workplace, Maurya said. "Female foeticide is a worst sin. Safety of daughters right from the womb of their mothers is the collective responsibility of us all," she said.

Describing women as the axis of Uttarakhand's development, the governor praised the state government for providing them with adequate education and employment opportunities. Maurya also spoke of steps being taken by the state government for improving nutrition among pregnant women and infants.

She also suggested that the government's home stay scheme, meant to give a boost to tourism, can be linked to employment generation in rural areas and their economic prosperity. Maurya said 2020 is an important year for Uttarakhand as it completes 20 years of statehood.

Providing electricity, water and health facilities to all villages in the remotest parts of the state is a major challenge, she said. The state government has made several policy changes to provide these facilities, the governor said.