Union Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha Sangma in Patna

NCP leader and Union Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha Sangma was in Patna on August 22, 2010 to participate in the state-level women’s conference organized by her party’s women cell. NCP general secretary Tariq Anwar and Agatha Sangma jointly inaugurated the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Agatha Sangma said her party would make a concerted effort for passage of the women's reservation bill in the Lok Sabha at the earliest.

She expressed optimism that the UPA government would table the women's reservation bill in the Lok Sabha in due course of time for passage by the House with support from like minded political parties on the issue.

She justified the demand for political empowerment of women and their due share of representation in the decision - making process and said that the women, be it from North-East or Bihar or any part of the country faced identical socio - economic problems.

On the state's development with Central funds she said both the state and Central government had contributed towards development process.

On the NCP's prospects in the ensuing assembly polls in Bihar, she said her party would seek to improve its performance even as the party was yet to decide its candidates for the polls.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui