<span style="color: #222222;">Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' presented the AICTE Lilavati Awards 2020 on women empowerment to the winners in New Delhi today.<br />'' <br />'' </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Pokhriyal  welcomed the initiative of All India Council for Technical Education, AICTE for instituting the Lilawati Awards and stressed that such innovative steps shall be great motivation for girls to join higher education.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, this initiative will pave a path towards equality in education and innovation for women.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He  also informed that Government  has launched Udaan scheme which aims to enable girls of weaker socio-economic status at school level to gain access to higher education.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, the government has also  started Pragati Yojana to give young women opportunity to further their technical education.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Education Minister  highlighted that the new National Educational Policy has greatly emphasised on gender equality and students should participate in such initiatives to promote women empowerment.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Based on the theme 'Women Empowerment', AICTE finalized the winners from a total of 456 entries who competed across 6 sub themes, which include, Women's Health, Self-Defense, Sanitation and Hygiene, Literacy, Women Entrepreneurship and Legal Awareness.</span><br />