Interview/ Annpurna Devi, Union minister of women and child development
It’s been a year since Annpurna Devi took charge as the Union minister of women and child development.
Born and raised in Jharkhand, Devi entered politics in 1998 after the untimely death of her husband, also a politician.
Today, as the BJP’s Member of Parliament from Koderma, she reflects on her journey and says that coming to Delhi and participating in national politics was at one point “something one could not even imagine”.
Looking ahead, she says the government could finalise the process of implementing the Women’s Reservation Bill by 2027, once the census is completed and the Delimitation Commission submits its report. Edited excerpts from the interview:
Q You have completed a year in office. How do you look back?
In the past year, there has been a significant shift from ‘women development’ to ‘women-led development’.
Today, we have over 800 one-stop centres that have extended medical, legal and psychological support to more than 11 lakh women. There are 412 Shakti Sadans providing shelter to distressed women. Women’s help desks have been set up in 14,658 police stations across the country.
We have also built 523 hostels for working women under the Sakhi Niwas initiative. To tackle workplace harassment, we launched an upgraded version of the SHe-Box platform. To address child marriage, we launched the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign.
For nutritional needs, Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 have benefitted around 10 crore individuals― including children aged 0 to 6, as well as pregnant and lactating mothers. We are also running a pilot for ‘Nari Adalat’―women’s court―to address certain issues at the local level.
Q You have taken a strong stand on issues like what constitutes rape or attempted rape. But challenges like sexual assault, dowry and domestic violence persist. How is your ministry addressing them?
The issues you mentioned are deeply rooted, but we are tackling them through a multi-pronged approach. For instance, SHe-Box portal offers women a simple, secure, and confidential way to report workplace harassment. Every complaint can be digitally tracked, and the portal is accessible to all women―whether they work in the formal or informal sectors, in private or public organisations.
We also have the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act. Awareness is key, so we launched the #AbKoiBahanaNahi to tackle gender-based violence.
Additionally, we work closely with other ministries, state governments, and departments to address women’s issues in a coordinated manner.
Q You spoke about the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign. What progress has been made?
The campaign focuses not just on preventing child marriages but also on empowering adolescent girls through education, self-reliance and the opportunity to lead safe and fulfilling lives. So far, over 700 child marriages have been prevented through this initiative. Additionally, we have conducted around 2,300 community awareness programmes, reaching more than 1.1 million citizens with messages about the social, legal and health implications of child marriage.
Localisation is key―state governments, local administrations, anganwadi workers, panchayats, schools, NGOs and youth groups are all involved. We have also strengthened coordination with Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and district administrations to make the system more responsive.
Q Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign has been a flagship initiative. But challenges like female foeticide and infanticide remain. What next?
These are serious challenges, and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao has played a major role in creating awareness.
As per data available from the Union ministry of health, the sex ratio at birth has improved―from 918 in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24. According to data from the ministry of education, the gross enrolment ratio for girls at the secondary level has risen from 75.51 per cent in 2014-15 to 78 per cent in 2023-24. Today, our daughters are excelling in every sector, and the campaign will continue to focus on awareness, education and empowerment.
Q Child malnutrition remains a pressing concern. At the same time, child obesity is rising. How is your ministry addressing these twin challenges?
We recognise this double burden and are adapting our strategies. The Poshan Abhiyaan has turned into a national movement against malnutrition. We have seen a reduction in child undernutrition and infant mortality. We now monitor the nutrition of over eight crore children aged 0-6 through digital tools like the Poshan Tracker.
We have [telecast TV programmes like] Poshan Maah (September) and Poshan Pakhwada (March) each year to raise awareness. The last Poshan Pakhwada focused on child obesity. Ultimately, our message is simple: the plate should have taste, tradition and nutrition.
Q Women’s reservation has been a long-standing vision of the BJP. As a woman MP, how do you view its importance?
I was fortunate to witness the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament. It provides one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies.
Now, we await the census and the completion of work by Delimitation Commission. Based on the past timelines, we expect the process to conclude by 2027, ending implementation in time for the general elections in 2029.
This landmark legislation is a historic milestone in India’s journey toward ensuring equal representation for women in public life across every level of the federal structure.