Women leading the growth story: PM lauds NDA’s initiatives in11 yrs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said over the last 11 years, the NDA government had redefined women-led development by treating the empowerment of women as a strategic imperative.

Advertisement

“Under various initiatives, from ensuring dignity through Swachh Bharat to financial inclusion via Jan Dhan accounts, the focus has been on empowering our ‘Nari Shakti’. The Ujjwala Yojana brought smoke-free kitchens to several homes, while MUDRA loans enabled lakhs of women entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams on their own terms,” the PM said.

He said houses under women’s names in the PM Awas Yojana had also made a remarkable impact, while the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign had ignited a movement to protect girl child.

“In all sectors, including science, education, sports, start-ups and the armed forces, women are excelling and inspiring several people,” he said as the government released a statement on women-centric schemes.

The statement said with women and children comprising nearly 67.7 percent of India’s population, their empowerment was not just about a social reform, but was a strategic imperative.

“As India enters Amrit Kaal, Nari Shakti stands as the unstoppable force driving a stronger and more inclusive nation forward,” the officials said, adding that women were no longer seen as passive beneficiaries but as empowered agents of change, central to India’s growth story.

Officials said driven by an inclusive and lifecycle-based approach, the government had launched targeted interventions in health, education, housing, digital access, sanitation and financial inclusion and made ‘Nari Shakti’ a national mission.

The government flagged lifecycle-based interventions for women from birth to entrepreneurship. The officials said, “At birth, the challenge is survival and this is being met through Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.”

They said the NDA and Sainik Schools had been opened for girls and fund access was being provided to women to become entrepreneur with 68 percent Mudra loan borrowers being women.