Chandigarh: Following the footsteps of Haryana, the central government has decided to reserve seats for women in all the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the country, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said here on Monday.

"We have received a written communication from the central government appreciating our decision to reserve 25 per cent of the seats for women in ITIs to ensure their empowerment," said Hooda.

This scheme was introduced in Haryana in 2006, observed as the year of the girl child.

"The central government has decided to implement this scheme in the entire country, but with an enhanced reservation of 30 per cent seats. Therefore, the Haryana government would also increase this reservation percentage from 25 to 30," Hooda added. IANS