Gandhinagar: The Modi-led NDA government will be relying on women power to strengthen its booth-level management to ensure a victory in the 2019 general election.
Addressing an audience of more than 700 workers from the BJP Mahila Morcha (women's wing) in Trimandir at Adalaj in Gandhinagar district on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "You should take a pledge, 'Mera Booth, Sabse Majboot (My Booth is the Strongest)'."
This was Modi's first public appearance after the BJP's assembly poll debacle.
Modi was attending the closing ceremony of the BJP's women's wing two-day meet here from December 21-22 to deliberate their role in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Modi urged all women workers to use the Narendra Modi App to inform the general public about the government's welfare schemes.
"Sardar Patel showed us the way to women's empowerment in 1935. He took initiatives to empower women.
Since the days of the Jansangh, women have been powerful in the organisation. Women are good governors, and Indian women are expert multi-taskers."
Modi pointed out that the Central government's flagship schemes are women-centric.
"Approximately, 75 per cent of the recipients of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (housing schemes) are women," the Prime Minister said.
Stating that earlier there was gender inequality, he said, "But, with us the situation is changing. Haryana has changed under BJP rule.
"In the Union government, it is for the first time that we have two women ministers. The Indian Air Force also got its first woman fighter pilot, this year."
Modi also said that the construction of Izzat Ghars, or toilets, across Uttar Pradesh is near completion.
He further said that out of 34 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) account holders, about 18 crore are women, with deposits of Rs.30,000 crore. Of the 15 crore MUDRA loan beneficiaries, 11 crore are women recipients.
"Our target is to empower maximum number of women," he said.