Conference in Hyd to focus on job opportunities for women

Hyderabad: Work opportunities for women will be the key issue at a round-table conference to be organised by Union Labour Ministry here tomorrow, on the eve of International Women's Day. "This round-table conference will delve on creating opportunities for women and making them employable while discussing the challenges that entail the agenda," Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya told reporters here.

Noting that "women capital" played a major role in the country's growth, he said the conference would discuss creating more opportunities for women and related issues. "Many prominent persons would attend (the event)... what we are doing for women work force and what needs to be done for them. We will invite suggestions on this in the conference," Dattatreya said.

In a major step to help the women work force, the NDA government has increased maternity benefits from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, he said. The government is taking up skill development and training programmes for women, who are shifting from traditional agriculture work to industry-related work by migrating to urban areas, the minister said.

"Major focus will be new the women work force, particularly the younger generation. They are coming in large numbers. That's why a public-private partnership is very much essential. For that, tomorrow, on the eve of International Women's Day, we are conducting this conference," he said.