Baramati: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said educating women and making them financially independent would be a true tribute to Ahilyadevi Holkar, the legendary 18th century ruler of the Indore state.

He was speaking at a function in Baramati town of Pune district organised to mark Holkar’s 298th birth anniversary.

Delivering his speech in Kannada, Siddaramaiah recalled Holkar’s life and times.

“Educating women and making them financially independent would be a true tribute to Ahilyadevi Holkar,” he said.

“We took some steps towards achieving this goal by announcing free bus travel across Karnataka to women and also depositing Rs 2,000 per month into the bank accounts of women who are heads of their families,” Siddaramaiah said.

The Karnataka CM said Congress’s free bus travel promise to women was implemented within 24 hours of his swearing-in, while the Rs 2,000 per month assurance would be implemented from August 15 this year.

He also said that the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will win the next Assembly elections in Maharashtra and added that they should implement these schemes for women in the state.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, his daughter and party working president Supriya Sule, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Ajit Pawar and senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat were present on the occasion.