Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday wrote to chief ministers of all states and union territories seeking their cooperation to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative assemblies and Parliament.
Earlier, he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate steps to pass the Women's Reservation Bill.
"The support of chief ministers in giving rightful places to women in society will give a new direction towards women empowerment," Patnaik wrote in letters to CMs.
Stating that women have a major role to play in building the nation and society, he said, "Empowerment of women is empowerment of the nation. No household, no society, no state, no country has ever moved forward without empowering its women."