India moving ahead with vision of women-led development: Nirmala Sitharaman

Asserting that women empowerment has been a pivotal focus of the NDA government at the Centre, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that India was moving ahead with the vision of women-led development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She was speaking after inaugurating a credit outreach programme at the Jai Prakash University in Bihar's Saran district.

"Our PM has done a lot for the empowerment of women in the country, be it providing them with gas cylinders under Ujjwala Yojana, constructing houses and toilets in villages or getting the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam passed in Parliament. Today, the entire world is accepting the fact that the women of India are progressing a lot under the leadership of Modi ji," she said.

"Women empowerment has been a pivotal focus of the NDA government. The country is moving ahead with the vision of women-led development under the leadership of Modi ji," she said.


Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh, BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy, and Janardan Singh Sigriwal were also present on the occasion.

"Earlier, women had to mortgage their house documents and jewellery as bank guarantee, but today, there is no need for them to do so... they can now get loans easily because of PM Modi's guarantee," Sitharaman said.

She said that the government has also launched 'Drone Didi' and 'Lakhpati Didi' initiatives for the benefit of women.

She also interacted with women volunteers at a community centre in Amnour in Saran district.

Sitharaman was earlier in the day welcomed by BJP workers at Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna.

Bihar party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and other senior leaders of the party welcomed her at the airport.