India contributes $1 mn to UN Women

India has contributed $1 million to the core voluntary budget of UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) for the financial year 2013- 2014.
This contribution constitutes the fourth installment of India's multi-year pledge to provide five million dollars as core predictable funding to UN Women's resources, and takes India's existing contribution to $ 4 million to UN Women, so far.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN Asoke K Mukerji handed over a cheque for the amount Friday to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women.
Mukerji also reaffirmed India's steadfast commitment to the goals of gender equality, the empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming, as enshrined in the mandate of UN Women.
He also encouraged UN Women to focus on increasing the use of ICT and new technologies for empowerment of women.
India was one of the founding members of the Executive Board of the UN Women.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/india-contributes-1-mn-to-un-women-113120700142_1.html
by: hwgo

In Indore, they bank on women entrepreneurs

Bharatiya Mahila Bank opens state's first branch in the city. City women felt a sense of empowerment on Thursday when Bharatiya Mahila Bank opened its branch in Indore, a first in the state and ninth in the country.
The bank will offer special schemes to women entrepreneurs and weaker sections of the society.  For girl students, it will provide educational loans for courses like pilot and airhostess training.
“The bank will work for women and other deprived sections of the society and will stress on offering financial products to enable them become self reliant,”  said  Snehlata Srivastava, additional secretary Union ministry of finance, while inaugurating the branch here. “Even men can open account and avail facilities available s at the branch,” she added.
On the occasion, Srivastava also handed out loan cheques to five self-help groups and also felicitated first five account holders.
Bank DGM Ashok Gandhi said that they would offer 4.5% interest to account holders on deposits up to Rs one lakh and 5% on deposits above Rs one lakh, which is more than the interest offered by other banks.
Women customers who stepped into the branch after the inauguration were seen brimming with newly-found sense of empowerment. “No one can imagine what women are capable of. This bank will offer us a chance to prove that we are not inferior to men in any way,” said Preeti Nandi, a school teacher who opened an account here.
A student, Tanya Malik, was all praise for loan service of the bank. “I had applied for an educational loan with a public sector bank but it did not even respond to my application. Here, at BMB, the branch manager himself helped me get the loan in no time,” said she.
On Thursday, the bank also opened its eighth branch in New Delhi.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-in-indore-they-bank-on-women-entrepreneurs-1930617