A post-budget webinar on the topic “Economic Empowerment of Women” took place on March 10, 2024. The Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, addressed the webinar and claimed, “If India wishes to prosper, the country needs to elevate the level of respect shown towards women,” and requested the attendees to make the pathway for growth obstacle-free for “women-sisters, and daughters.”
PM’s words during the webinar
In his address, he talked about the nuances of the budget, presented last month, and put a special focus on the efforts made by the Indian government in manifesting women-led development through the Budget 2024. The PM, in his speech, expressed hope for witnessing “Viksit Bharat” or progressing India by 2047.
Mr. Modi went ahead to explain the budget and the high hopes he has for it in terms of empowering the female population. He said that “Matru Shakti,” is spoken of as the reflection of a woman’s determination, willpower, visualisation, and assiduous approach to working hard for her dreams, which play a significant role in building the nation and enhancing the visibility of India on a global level.
Women getting economically empowered in India
The hearts of the Indians should be thumping with pride as the proportion of women in various domains compared to men is augmenting. Education, technology, job market, and other sections of society are harnessing the talent of women and providing them with an opportunity to contribute to nation-building.
Mr. Modi gave the statistic that the number of girls pursuing education up to high school and beyond has tripled in the last 9-10 years. Further, the involvement rate of females in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics has grown up to 43%, in comparison to the single-digit percentage. Surprisingly, this is more than the rate observed and reported in countries like the U.S.A., the U.K., and Germany. The increase in their concentration is not limited to some specific domains, but rather women can be seen spread across various landscapes, such as politics, cinema, government ministries, sports, etc.
The PM also commented on the various schemes introduced by the government for the upliftment of women and displayed his jubilation for the schemes as they proved to be non-abortive in turning mild females of yesterday into audacious women of tomorrow. In this regard, he highlighted that 70% of beneficiaries who are enjoying the advantages of the Mudra loan are women.
Further, he underlined various schemes for the endorsement of collateral-free loans under SVANidhi and initiatives promoting the involvement of women in animal husbandry, village industries, fisheries, FPOs, etc. PM Awas Yojana was lauded as a remarkable scheme as it gave a house to three crore women, and that too, on their names. The scheme is considered crucial for empowering Indian women economically.
Mr. Modi did not put a full stop here as the progress made by women cannot be weaved into simple words. Today, every 1 out of 5 non-farm businesses is operated and managed by a woman. Steadily, each state is getting its female MLAs. Women are becoming the breadwinners of their families, changing the conventional narrative echoed by society.Â
The Budget 2024 Directive
The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, declared a few schemes and initiatives for the economic empowerment of women during the Budget 2024–24 announcement. She said, connecting the direct linkage between health, education, and economic empowerment and productivity, said that the government is going to establish 157 new nursing colleges in critical locations. Ms. Sitharaman, moreover, announced the Mahila Samman Saving Certificate, a “one-time small savings scheme” for women.Â
The budget enabled the betterment of women’s self-help groups, or SHGs by prioritising rural income growth and financial freedom and dispatching them with raw materials, branding, marketing of products, etc. For the working women employed in the formal sector, the proclaimed income tax slabs will help them save and make judicious saving decisions.
A few more enunciations have been made for financially empowering women of the nation.Â
Women in India have struggled since years ago, and reaching this point is nothing but an instance of the tenacity the women of the nation hold. In the upcoming years, if consistent efforts are put in the right direction, the majority of women can become financially independent. Regardless, respecting them is an obligation, especially for a country like India which is popular for its treatment of women as goddesses on every occasion and every day. Acknowledging their efforts, their progress, and their endearing devotion to their family, Bharat, will be, in a true sense, respecting them, and then, the world will see India rising.
