New Delhi: Presenting her sixth consecutive budget as the country’s first woman Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the empowerment of women gained momentum in the past ten years under the Narendra Modi Government.
“The empowerment of women through entrepreneurship, ease of living, and dignity for them has gained momentum in these ten years” she said while presenting the interim Budget 2024-25 in the new parliament building.
She said the government has firmly focused on “four major castes”, i.e. ‘Garib’ (poor), ‘Mahilayen’ (women), ‘Yuva’ (youth) and ‘Annadata’ (farmer).
She said: “Their needs, their aspirations, and their welfare are our highest priority. The country progresses, when they progress…. all four require and receive government support in their quest to better their lives. Their empowerment and well-being will drive the country forward.”
Sitharaman said 30 crore Mudra Yojana loans have been given to women entrepreneurs which is a major step taken by the government.
Pointing out that the female enrolment in higher education has gone up by twenty-eight per cent in ten years, the Finance Minister said, “In STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) courses, girls and women constitute forty-three per cent of enrolment – one of the highest in the world.
“All these measures are getting reflected in the increasing participation of women in the workforce”, she said.
“Making ‘Triple Talaq’ illegal, reservation of one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies, and giving over seventy per cent houses under PM Awas Yojana in rural areas to women as sole or joint owners have enhanced their dignity” the Finance Minister said
