Princess Diya Kumari’s Leadership in Rajasthan’s Government and the Empowering Initiatives of her Foundation

Princess Diya Kumari was born on January 30, 1971, in Jaipur, Rajasthan. She is the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling Maharaja of Jaipur during the British Raj.

Princess Diya Kumari has moved very smoothly from her royal responsibilities to public service, as she is the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan today. In 2013, she established the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF),

a non-governmental organization, devoted to the transformation of women and girls in Rajasthan through various initiatives meant to bring about social and economic development.

Political Career and Achievements

1. Entry into Politics

Princess Diya Kumari entered the world of politics and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 10 September 2013 in the presence of some top leaders that included Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh.

She contested the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly of 2013 from Sawai Madhopur and won the election to become a member of the legislature for the very first time in her life as MLA.

In the year 2019, she was elected Member of Parliament Lok Sabha from Rajsamand constituency by a thumping margin of 551,916. This shows growing influence in State and National politics.

2 Role as Deputy Chief Minister

On 15th December 2023, Princess Diya Kumari led the Rajasthan state government by assuming the role of Deputy Chief Minister.

In this role, she operates key departments: Finance, Tourism, Art, Literature, Culture and Archaeology, Public Works, Women & Child Development, and Child Empowerment.

Her administration has remained an answer to the requirement of providing balanced development with the implementation of policies for bettering the quality of life of people in Rajasthan.

Vision for Change in Rajasthan

1. Policy Reforms

Princess Diya Kumari has been an initiator of policy reforms that catalyze socio-economic development in Rajasthan. Focusing on fiscal discipline and resource management, she ensured proper funds were available for developmental projects and was well managed in the Finance department.

She worked towards making Rajasthan a more tourist-friendly cultural and historical destination in the Tourism department and supported sustainable tourism activities that benefit the local community.

2. Focus Areas

Her tenure has focused on women empowerment, education, health, and rural development. She has established the Women & Child Development department to initiate vocational training and welfare programs for women so that they can become economically independent.

In education, much work has been done to improve infrastructure and facilities for girls’ access to schools in rural areas to reduce the gap between the genders in literacy.

Health initiatives under her leadership include improving primary health care facilities and making sure that the necessary services are available in the underdeveloped regions.

Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF)

1. Formation and Objective

The Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, PDKF, was formed in 2013 and is a nonprofit organization empowering the marginalized women and girls of Rajasthan. Through skill building, heritage crafts promotion, education support, and improvement in community health, women can challenge cultural and economic barriers.

2. Major Programs and Activities

PDKF has developed many successful programs:

1. Project Shakti: The project offers free certified courses that trained specialists offer, focusing on technical, practical, and theoretical training to make the women self-reliant. It also provides a job placement once they have successfully completed their courses.

2. Shiksha Diya Project- This project aims to extend support towards girls’ education in disadvantaged backgrounds. The program extends to students studying classes 8 to 12 in government schools of Jaipur.

It provides financial, academic, and material support besides generating community awareness and health initiatives that lead to reducing dropout rates in school and increasing the levels of female literacy.

3. Community Health Initiatives: CoAid Initiative of PDKF The CoAid Initiative of PDKF is focused more on community health and relief work, such as preparation of nutritional meal kits and distribution of medicines, especially during the COVID-19 era.

Contribution of PDKF Work

1. Empowerment through Skill Building

PDKF’s skill development programs have empowered thousands of women to be self-sufficient financially.

The organization has helped create artisans by propagating traditional craft forms like gotapatti embroidery and block printing that can be put on display to sell their productions, thus saving their cultural heritage for future generations with sustainable livelihood.

2. Educational Support

It is assisting PDKF in granting quality education opportunities to underprivileged girls. This effort of the foundation in reducing drop-out rates and better educational achievements within the region has been comprised of scholarships, academic support, and community level awareness about the importance of education of the girl child.

3. Health Care Initiatives

PDKF has scaled up many critical healthcare needs through community health programs, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. The CoAid Initiative provided medical supplies and nutritious meals for affected people and frontline workers.

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