PM Modi says India has shifted from women development to women-led development in the past nine years
- ByStartupStory | March 10, 2023
During a webinar on women empowerment following the budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised “the shift from women development to women-led development in India over the last nine years, and advocated for the creation of unicorns in self-help groups for women”.
Modi also drew attention to the current enrollment rate of women in engineering, science, technology, and mathematics, which stands at 43 percent.
According to the Prime Minister, “approximately 70 percent of Mudra loan beneficiaries are women, and they are contributing to both their families’ financial growth and the nation’s economy by creating new opportunities”.
He also asserted that India’s advancement is directly related to the degree of respect and equality experienced by women in the country. He emphasised that “enhancing the status of women and promoting equality is crucial for India’s progress”.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the traits of determination, willpower, imagination, goal-oriented work, and extreme hard work that characterise Nari Shakti reflect the strength of motherhood or “Matru Shakti,” and are driving India’s progress and expansion in this century.
He also noted the visible outcomes of women empowerment initiatives and the significant increase in the number of girls pursuing education beyond high school in the past 9-10 years.
The Prime Minister cited various government initiatives that have fostered the development of women, including the PM Awas Yojna, which has empowered women by giving them a say in household economic decisions.
During the webinar, the Prime Minister announced support for self-help groups (SHGs) to create new unicorns, illustrating the strength of India’s vision for women empowerment amid changing scenarios.
He also highlighted that over the past nine years, more than 70 million women have joined SHGs, which have taken loans totaling INR 6.25 trillion, underscoring their significant value creation.
He also emphasised on the “transformation taking place in the cooperative sector and the important role that women are playing in it”.
He mentioned that there are plans to establish over 200,000 multi-purpose cooperatives, dairy cooperatives, and fisheries cooperatives in the near future. Additionally, a target has been set to connect one crore farmers with natural farming, and women farmers and producer groups can make a significant contribution towards achieving this goal.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the ‘Vishwakarma Scheme’, which was introduced in the latest budget, will play a crucial role in skill development and provide a bridge to new opportunities that must be leveraged.
The Prime Minister emphasised that India is progressing with the motto of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’. He pointed out that as women in the country are now seen in roles related to national security, flying fighter jets like Rafale, and making business decisions and taking risks, people’s perceptions are changing.
In his concluding remarks, the PM shared a quote from an article written by President Droupadi Murmu on International Women’s Day. The President’s article emphasised that every individual should contribute towards progress and improve. The PM referred to this as a request straight from the heart and encouraged everyone to work towards achieving it.
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