Thakur for coordination panel of ministries for policies for

Maharashtra Women and Child Welfare Minister Yashomati Thakur said on Thursday that a a coordination committee of various ministries was needed for framing policies for women and their effective execution.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Thakur said a coordination panel of education,rural development, home and medical and skilled development departments should be formed for framing policies for "overall development of women".

The Assembly on Thursday witnessed a marathon five- hour discussion on women's issues, ahead of International Women's Day on March 8.

"My department has suggested formation of a coordination committee... announcement can only be made by the chief minister," she said.

Thakur also said that gender equality and gender awareness should be part of the school curriculum. Instructions to students about 'good touch, bad touch' will be imparted at anganwadi schools (child-care centres in rural areas), she added.

Expressing concern about the fact that child marriages still take place, Thakur said the Women and Child Development Department can ask gram sabhasto carry out a campaign against child marriages.

High school drop-out rate among girls in rural areas was also a cause of concern, the minister added.

Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray also said gender equality should be included in the school curriculum.

Moreover, the public discourse about women should change, he added.

While replying to the debate, School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said self-defense classes will be introduced in schools.

Instructions about how to distinguish 'good touch' from 'bad touch' will be taught in schools from standards 4 to 8 to both girls and boys, Gaikwad added.

The state government will recommend to the Centre that women be allowed to enroll in the National Defence Academy, and this issue was discussed in the state cabinet on Thursday, she added.

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said there are 28,000 women in the 2.30 lakh-strong police force of the state.

"We will take the percentage of women in the police force from the current 15 per cent to 30 per cent," he added.

Women will be recruited in large number in the planned hiring of 8,000 police officials, Deshmukh said.

He also mentioned that a law on the lines of Andhra Pradesh's Disha Act for speedy trials of crimes against women will be introduced in the current session.