Chief minister Raghubar Das today performed kanya pujaon the last day of Navratri at Shitla Mandir in Bhalubasa, and made a strong pitch for education of girl child.
The chief minister said development of Jharkhand, or for that matter any state, hinged on the progress of girl child and women.
'Women of India are more talented than those in any other country in the world. They have this inherent quality to overcome obstacles and come to the forefront in any domain, be it sports, academics or defence. Women can reach their potential only through education. And our government is duty bound to create an environment where every girl child gets access to education,' Das told the media after the kanya puja.
On the occasion, Das along with his wife Rukmini Devi and son Lalit Das worshipped 1,001 girls below the age of 12 years, offered each of them a chunri, a token amount of Rs 251 and bhog, comprisinghalwa, puri-sabji and kheer. According to BJP district president Dinesh Kumar Sahu, the girls were selected primarily from Jamshedpur East constituency, the chief minister's home borough, by party leaders.
The chief minister further said realising women's potential was crucial for the state's march towards development.
'Education can help women realise their true potential and utilise their skills better. Women's independence, both social and economical, is key to making the state self-reliant,' he maintained.
Speaking on the fire mishap at the RR Sporting Club pandal on Ratu Road in Ranchi on Mahasashthi, Das said the incident was unfortunate, and added the committees must follow the directive of the administration to ensure safety and security.
Das praised the initiative of religious clerics for deferring their Muharram processions in view of Durga immersions tomorrow. 'This has sent across a strong message of communal harmony in the state,' he added.
In the day, the chief minister offered prayers at various pandals in Jamshedpur and at Jairam Youth Sporting Club pandal in Adityapur.
Tomorrow, Das will leave for Ranchi, where he will attend Ravana Dahan at Morabadi Grounds in the evening.