The 100th International Women's Day is being observed today. A numder a functions have been organised to mark the occasion. The President Mrs. Pratibha Patil will confer the Stree Shakti Awards at a function in New Delhi. The 'Stree Shakti Puraskars' are given to outstanding women for their exceptional work in field of women empowerment.<br/><br/>Rajasthan government has decided to make travel free in all categories of State Roadways buses for girls and women today.<br/><br/>In a bid to encourage women to join the police force, the Mumbai Police will elevate a woman police inspector to senior inspector and make her head of a police station. The city police will also announce the selection of 10 women constables as drivers.<br/><br/>Women power at the Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee was out in open yesterday as they gathered on the eve of International Women's Day in New Delhi. Out of around 1,000 employees, a whopping 38.5 per cent are women.<br/><br/>The President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil and the Lok Sabha Speaker Mrs. Meira Kumar have stressed the need for empowerment of women for progress of the country. Greeting the nation on the occasion, Mrs Patil said, Indian women have played an exemplary role and will continue to be a major determinant of the future progress and inclusive growth.<br/><br/>Mrs. Kumar, in her message, called for a change in the mindset of society towards women.<br/><br/>On the occasion of 100th Women’s Day, the 14th Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign in Punjab has devoted its third day, today, to Women Empowerment.<br/><br/>Inaugurated by the PWD Minister, Punjab, Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa at Barnala on Saturday, the campaign is focussing on the centrally sponsored schemes meant for the general public. These schemes include Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Programme, National Rural Health Mission, Right to Information Act., Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and five components of Bharat Nirman especially meant for rural progress etc. Mr. Dhindsa categorically called upon the people to get benefited from these schemes by knowing more about them through such campaigns.<br/><br/>The campaign is being organised by Press Information Bureau (PIB), Jalandhar, in coordination with other media units of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Punjab Govt.<br/><br/>The Assistant Director of the Bureau, Mr. Balwinder Attri has informed AIR Jalandhar Correspondent that today on the occasion of Women’s Day, the campaign is focused on Health and Welfare Schemes meant for women and to weed out social evils like female foeticide and dowry from the society. The campaign would conclude on March 10th. <br/><br/>On the International Women’s Day this year, the Maharashtra state home department has gifted the helpline 103 for the women across the state. Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's daughter-in-law, Smita Thackeray, organized a women's march in Mumbai ahead of International Women's Day. Over 500 women from all walks of life voiced their opinion on issues related to gender equality. They also raised slogans in support of the Women's Reservation Bill to be taken up by Parliament. Air India is also geared up to set an example for empowerment of women by operating four international flights, with all-women crew. In a bid to encourage women to join the police force, the Mumbai Police will elevate a woman police inspector to senior inspector and make her head of a police station on International Women’s Day.