Women playing key role in economic growth: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Saturday that his government is working towards economic empowerment of women and safeguarding their dignity through welfare schemes and other measures, resulting in their increased participation in strengthening the economy and enrolment in security forces.

Addressing a gathering of nearly 1,00,000 self-help group (SHG) workers in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, the Prime Minister said women have become the "differentiating factor" in this century. An example of this is the growth in SHG workers to 80 million women today. He maintained that his dispensation is taking several steps to create new possibilities for female entrepreneurs since 2014.

"In today's new India, the flag of women's power is flying from Panchayat Bhawan to Rashtrapati Bhavan," the Prime Minister said, referring to the election of Droupadi Murmu as the President of India. He noted that in the recent panchayat election, 17,000 women got elected to local bodies. When women form a group of 10-12 and begin an enterprise, it yields significant results due to their dedication and determination, the Prime Minister said.


SHGs have turned into "Nation-Help Groups" today due to such efforts. Women have played important roles, ranging from making PPE kits during the Covid pandemic to taking care of cattle, contributing to the nutrition campaign, Swachh Bharat movement and so on, he said.

Enumerating the government's endeavours to empower women, he said 70 million households got piped water connections in India during the last three years.

He said the government aims to enrol at least one woman from every rural family in SHGs. The Prime Minister also spoke on the significance of women becoming economically empowered. "The economic empowerment of women empowers them equally in society," he said.