Sonia Gandhi in Malda talks about UPA's welfare policies for minorities

Congress President and UPA Chairperson visited Malda in West Bengal to attend the function for laying foundation stone of a Technical institute named after late Congress leader ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. "The UPA Government at the Centre has given priority for the welfare, empowerment and upliftment of backward classes and minorities. We, for the first time ever, opened a new ministry for minority affairs. We have been implementing the recommendations of the Sachchar Committee. We also have identified 90 minority-dominated regions across the country, including Malda, and sanctioned a new package for development. We have upgraded the Prime Minister's 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities and he has been personally supervising its progress" said Sonia Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi in Malda: Economic and social development of the nation should go hand in hand

Congress President and UPA Chairperson visited Malda in West Bengal to attend the function for laying foundation stone of a Technical institute named after late Congress leader ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. "Economic and social development of the nation should go hand in hand for which we need to fight communal forces strongly" said Sonia Gandhi. "We need a society which is secular, democratic and live in harmony. These are the basics of social, financial and inclusive development. We need to fight the communal and divisive ideologies. We are a secular democratic nation and that is our identity. The Congress party is committed to maintain the secular fabric of the country" she added.

Sonia Gandhi in Malda assures law to prevent crimes against women

Congress President and UPA Chairperson visited Malda in West Bengal to attend the function for laying foundation stone of a Technical institute named after late Congress leader ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. "We will soon bring in legislation to prevent atrocities and crimes against women. We are trying to pass the Food security bill so that poor people of this country don't have to starve" said Sonia Gandhi."Education is also an important sector in the growth of the nation. Our UPA government under the leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh has given special attention to technical education and education. We have taken steps to update and upgrade technology in IITs, Medical colleges, universities and also have set up new technical institutes" she added.

Sonia Gandhi in Malda (West Bengal) talks about UPA's first ever all-women-bank proposal

Congress President and UPA Chairperson visited Malda in West Bengal to attend the function for laying foundation stone of a Technical institute named after late Congress leader ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. "For the first time in the history of our country, Rs. 1000 cr has been allocated in the current Budget for an all-women bank, to help women in their business ventures. We are also constituting a Nirbhaya fund with Rs 1000 crore. This fund will be used to protect the honour and dignity of our sisters and daughters.

Sonia Gandhi in Malda addresses the function to lay foundation stone for a Technical institute

Congress President and UPA Chairperson visited Malda in West Bengal to attend the function for laying foundation stone of a Technical institute named after late Congress leader ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. "I am now very happy to witness the event which is the fulfilment of a promise made in 2008 for an institute like this, in his memory. That has become a reality now and our respected Prime Minister has just now laid the foundation stone for the institute. The Ghani Khan Choudhury Institute for Engineering and Technology will focus on informal and job-oriented academic courses. I am hopeful that this institute will play a crucial role towards Malda's development. This institute will not only help social and economic development of this region but also will, to a great extent, help prevent the youth from migrating to other cities for job or study. The students, both boys and girls, will get informal but job-oriented education from here which will make them enable to secure lucrative employment" said Sonia Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi in Malda (West Bengal) remembers late Congress leader ABA Gani Khan Choudhary

Congress President and UPA Chairperson visited Malda in West Bengal to attend the function for laying foundation stone of a Technical institute named after late Congress leader ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. "You may be remembering that I had promised in April 2008, during my visit to Malda, a technical institute in the memory of legendary Congress leader ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. Mr Ghani Khan Choudhury was a great Congress leader who was committed to secularism, democracy and deeply adhered to Congress' policies and ideals. He was very close to our legendary leader late Indira Gandhi Ji. He was well aware of what all to be done for the development in the region and earned the love, respect and affection of the people. He successively won the elections from here and maintained integrity and honesty in public life and thus earned the respects of the people too. I pay respect to that great personality" said Sonia Gandhi.