New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), an official said on Saturday. Rahatkar will be the ninth Chairperson of NCW.

In a statement, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said that Archana Majumdar has also been appointed as the Member of the National Commission for Women .

Rahatkar is also the BJP National Secretary and Rajasthan co-in charge.

On her appointment as NCW Chairperson, Rahatkar said: "I heartily thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making me the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women. I will faithfully discharge the responsibility of this very important institution. The aim is to move towards women-led development by enhancing the capabilities, opportunities and quality of life of women in various dimensions, such as education, health, employment and social participation."

The Ministry of Women and Child Development in its statement mentioned that Rahatkar has demonstrated leadership skills across various political and social responsibilities.

During her tenure as Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (2016-2021), she spearheaded initiatives like "Sakshama" (support for acid attack survivors), "Prajwala" (linking self-help groups to central government schemes), and "Suhita" (24x7 helpline service for women).

The statement noted that Rahatkar also worked on legal reforms focusing on issues like POCSO, anti-triple talaq cells, and anti-human trafficking units. She introduced digital literacy programmes and launched a publication named "Saad" dedicated to women's issues.

"As the Mayor of Chatrapati Sambhajinagar from 2007 to 2010, Vijaya Rahatkar implemented significant developmental projects related to healthcare and infrastructure," the Ministry statement read.

Rahatkar holds a bachelor's degree in Physics and a master's degree in History from University of Pune.

She has also authored several books, including 'Vidhilikhit' (on women's legal issues) and 'Aurangabad: Leading to Wide Roads'.

The statement also underlined that "her contributions to women's empowerment have earned her recognition, including the National Law Award and the Savitribai Phule Award from a national literary council".