Highlighting Women-Centric Initiatives in the Interim Budget
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman underscored the importance of women’s empowerment, commonly known as Nari Shakti, in the interim budget presentation. In her budget address, she reflected on the Modi government’s earlier initiatives to empower women, such as making triple talaq illegal and reserving a third of the seats in Parliament and state assemblies for women. Here are the budget highlights for women:
1. The central government has increased the target for ‘Lakhpati Didi’ from 2 crore to 3 crore. The finance minister mentioned that 83 lakh self-help groups, including nine crore women, are transforming rural areas’ economic and social scenarios by promoting empowerment and self-reliance. Almost one crore women have already become ‘Lakhpati Didis,’ serving as an inspiration to others. In acknowledgement of their accomplishments, they will be honoured. This success prompted the decision to raise the target for the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme.
2. The Women and Child Development Ministry received a slightly over 2 percent increment from the previous year’s budget. For the fiscal year 2024–25, the ministry has been granted a budget of Rs 26,000 crore, marking a 2.52 percent rise compared to the previous budget.
3. The government will actively promote free vaccination among girls aged 9 to 14 in an attempt to prevent cervical cancer.
4. Praising the active role of Indian women in jobs and higher education, especially in STEM fields, Sitharaman mentioned a 28% rise in female higher education enrollment in the last 10 years. In STEM courses, 43% of enrollees are girls and women, ranking among the highest globally.
5. She stated that a total of 43 crore loans, totaling Rs 22.5 lakh crore, have been sanctioned under the PM Mudra Yojana. Notably, within the past ten years, an impressive 30 crore Mudra Yojana loans have been specifically disbursed to women.
The interim budget by Nirmala Sitharaman reflects the government’s ongoing efforts to address various aspects of women’s empowerment, health, and financial inclusion.
