Vadodara /Surat, Sep 22 (ANI):'In a bid to empower women State government of Gujarat provided free stalls for sales of handmade items and goods at venues of Hindu festival of Navratri, the nine-day celebration honouring goddess Durga. District Magistrate of Vadodara city of Gujarat, Avantika Singh said the outlets are being provided to the women to sell their merchandise and earn their livelihood, and added that a similar exercise was conducted at the time of Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan. The idea to empower the women and make them financially independent was a brain-child of the state's first woman Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, a strong advocate of the cause of women empowerment. Mayor of Surat city, Niranjan Zanzmera said that the earnings made by women will entirely go to them and the State government will not be charging any fee for the installation of stalls.
