New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS): For India to achieve developed nation status by 2047, the engine must be fuelled by women and girls who can now play a greater role in policymaking with one-third reservation in legislative bodies, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Friday.

Speaking at the Foundation Day of National Commission for Women, VP Dhankhar stressed on women's role leading the march towards Viksit Bharat by 2047.

"They will have to fire on all cylinders to realise the dream we have set for ourselves. Let me put it, it is not a dream, it is an object now because no nation in the world has grown so exponentially in the last decade as Bharat has done. This has resulted in Bharat to be the most aspirational nation in the world and when you are aspirational, one's heart seeks more!" he said.

"If I take to any walk of life, my experience has been women have outperformed men. In Parliament, you will be amazed, on the table, we have more than 50 per cent women. I have started the process," he said.

When it comes to panel of the vice chairpersons, minimum 50 per cent have to be women. When the Women's Reservation Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha, 17 women sat in my chair, he said.

Talking about women empowerment, VP Dhankhar said, “Education alone can empower but for women, it is more important because they are quick to learn, they are quick to skill, they are quick to adopt and what they learn is easily accessible, largely.”

“When it comes to sports, our girls have done wonders and in wrestling, in Kushti, amazing. I am optimistic about Bharat, I am sanguine about Bharat, I am confident about Bharat because I am confident about your gender,” he said.