It was her "strong conviction" that cities and rural areas will develop faster if there were more women representatives in local bodies as a result of enhanced reservation for them, she said.
"Therefore, I directed that reservation for women in seats in urban local bodies and village panchayats be increased from one-third to 50 per cent," she said.
Subsequently, the government moved amendments which was "unanimously" adopted in the state Assembly, she said.
The initiative was part of her government's efforts towards further empowering womnen, she said.