Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her ‘Vote of Account’ presentation, emphasized women empowerment, highlighting the progress made in entrepreneurship, ease of living, and dignity over the past decade. She commended the active participation of Indian women in the workforce, increased enrollment in higher education, especially in STEM courses.
Key announcements include:
- Female enrollment in higher education increased by 28% in 10 years, with girls and women constituting 43% of STEM course enrollment.
- Under PM Mudra Yojana, 43 crore loans totaling ₹22.5 lakh crore have been granted, with 30 crore loans specifically provided to women in the last decade.
- The government plans to promote cervical cancer vaccinations for girls aged nine to fourteen.
- The announcement of the extension of healthcare coverage under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to all ASHA and anganwadi workers.
- Recognition of 83 lakh self-help groups (SHGs) with nine crore women, empowering nearly one crore women and earning them the term “Lakhpati Didi.”
- The decision to increase the target for Lakhpati Didi from 2 crore to 3 crore.
FM Sitharaman stressed addressing four key categories: the impoverished, women, youth, and farmers (“garib, mahila, yuva, annadata”). She highlighted the significant transformation in the Indian economy over the past decade.
The government’s commitment to extending healthcare coverage, promoting women’s education and entrepreneurship, and recognizing the role of self-help groups in rural empowerment were key themes in the budget presentation.
