Hyderabad: Siasat’s senior reporter Ratna Chotrani was honoured by IT minister KT Rama Rao here on Monday. She was felicitated at the ‘Honouring Women in Journalism’ event on the eve of International Womens’ Day.
Other eminent journalists were also honoured. Uma Sudhir, the executive editor of NDTV was also felicitated.
Praising women and their ability to multi-task, KTR in his speech said, “This multitasking ability that women possess, I don’t think any man can have it. What you guys do honestly is both. You work around 8, 10, 12 hours. Then you go back home and manage that as well.”
KTR spoke about the various welfare schemes that the Telangana government has provided for women. He spoke about the health sector where the infant mortality rate and the maternal mortality rate has dipped.
“Just to give you a statistical number, the infant mortality rate has gone down from 39 out of 1000 kids to 23 whereas the national average is 42. Same way, the maternal mortality rate was 92 out of 100 kids and now it is 63 and the country average is 113. These are the two achievements that I feel personally are a matter of great pride.”
He spoke about other schemes such as the implementation of the Shaadi Mubarak and Kalyana Lakshmi schemes which reached nearly 10 lakhs beneficiaries. He said that child marriages in the state have dipped down drastically.
Minister for ST Welfare, Women and Child Welfare Sathyavathi Rathod and Minister for Education Sabitha Reddy were also present.
