Government to encourage and facilitate role of women in India’s growth story

The Government wishes to encourage and facilitate the role of women in India’s growth story.  The Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said in Parliament today while presenting the Union Budget 2019-20 that “the role of women is a very sweet story” in India’s growth particularly in the rural economy.  The Finance Minister proposed to form a broad-based Committee with Government and private stakeholders to evaluate and suggest action for moving forward.  Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that gender analysis of the budget aimed at examining the budgetary allocation through a gender lens has been in place for over a decade.

The Finance Minister said that India can make progress with greater women’s participation in its growth story.  The Minister quoted Swami Vivekananda’s letter to Swami Ramakrishna in which he had said that “there is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing”.

Women SHGs

Finance Minister proposed that for every verified woman Self Help Group (SHG) member, having a Jan Dhan Bank Account, an overdraft of Rs.5,000 will be allowed. She also proposed to expand the Women SHG interest subvention programme to all districts.

One woman in every SHG will also be made eligible for a loan up to Rs. 1 lakh under the MUDRA Scheme.  The Government has supported and encouraged women entrepreneurship through various schemes such asMUDRA, Stand UP India and the Self Help Group (SHG) movement, the Finance Minister added.