Key Highlights
· BRO progressively inducted large number of women in its workforce, from officers to the level of Casual Paid Labourers (CPLs)
· BRO has adopted ‘Gender Neutral Approach’ and ‘Zero Tolerance for Discrimination in Any Form’
· Women are being given equal opportunities and roles in various tasks and areas in the organisation
· In the year 2021-22, BRO undertook key reforms with the aim of ‘Nari Shashaktikaran’ by giving women independent leadership roles
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) felicitated four women officers from Border Roads Organisation (BRO) who have set exemplary standards in being inspirational leaders, by bestowing them with the ‘International Women’s Day Award’, in New Delhi on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 08, 2022.
Among the proud awardees is Executive Engineer Ms Vaishali S Hiwase, who became the first General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) Woman Officer to assume command responsibility of a Road Construction Company (RCC). Working in a difficult area in Uttarakhand, she is responsible for an important Indo-Tibet Road connecting Munisairi-Bughdiar-Milam in very challenging terrain and weather conditions.
The second recipient of the award is Major Aaina Rana, who not only became the first Indian Army woman officer to command an RCC, but also established the first All Woman RCC, wherein all her Platoon Commanders are also Women Officers, thereby enabling women establish a distinct identity for themselves.
The third woman bestowed the honour is Executive Engineer Obing Taki, commanding another RCC, in the North-East region, she is credited with constituting an all-woman work force and successfully undertaking the task of de-launching Bailey Bridges, a task thus far performed only by men.
The fourth recipient, Colonel Navneet Duggal, from Corps of Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, is the senior-most woman officer in the BRO, recently promoted to the rank of Colonel; she is heading an independent field workshop, located in Srinagar, and is responsible for the up-keep and maintenance of heavy equipment.
Speaking on the occasion, DG BR Lt General Rajeev Chaudhry reaffirmed his confidence in the abilities of the women members of the BRO. He also appreciated the efforts of the Delhi Commission for Women in recognising the achievements of these strong-willed women, in the 75th Year of Independence. He also conveyed that in the BRO, women empowerment, in the truest sense, has been achieved by incorporating an attitudinal change in the areas where women are being employed. This is achieved by treating Women with proper respect, dignity, fairness and equality and most importantly empowering them with adequate responsibilities and resources to execute various organisational tasks.
Lt General Chaudhry also spoke of the initiatives taken by BRO for the betterment of Women Civil Paid Labourers, who work in difficult working conditions by improving their quality of life, imparting education to their girlchild as part of social welfare programmes and assisting them in managing their own finances and documentation.