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Cover Story Empowering Rural India
Empowerment of women
Played a key role in Covid period
Our villages have maximum potential,
labour power and dedication.
Empowerment of villages is one of the
top priorities of our government. Be it
Jan Dhan Yojana, housing schemes,
gas connection under Ujjwala, Har Ghar
Jal Abhiyan, Ayushman Bharat Yojana,
crores of villagers have got the benefit
of all these schemes. The speed with
which the country has worked for the
welfare of the poor is unprecedented.
-Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
The Government of India has taken several steps
for the empowerment of women and girls. The
present Central Government has included Mission
assistance (MNREGA). No Indian should go to bed Shakti, Mission Saksham Anganwadi, Poshan 2.0
hungry or fearful of what will happen the next day. and Mission Vatsalya with suitable modifications in
To give this motto meaning, the Modi government the earlier running schemes.
has used the powerful social security platform of
JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile) to ensure n There are about 1.2 crore self-help groups in
that every person has a unique identity, a bank India, of which 88% are entirely women's self-
account, and access to government schemes via his help groups.
mobile phone. Today, this social security platform n Self-help groups have played a key role during
provides the government's welfare services to its the Covid 19 period apart from empowering
citizens, whose widespread influence can be seen. women
The lives of the poor in the country are changing n The economic empowerment of women has
dramatically. Today, every village and poor person
believes that they will receive food and shelter, also had an impact on social and political
education and nutrition for their children, and empowerment. Women's participation in
necessary training for their youth. Almost every household decisions has increased, women
village is now electrified. The villages have been have their own bank accounts and are also
linked by pucca and all-weather roads, ensuring using mobile phones.
their and the country's bright futures. n During the Covid period, women self-help
The central government has made poor welfare groups played an important role in making
its medium, and satisfaction, rather than masks, sanitizers, distribution of essential
appeasement, has become its base. This approach commodities, running collective kitchens.
has created a protective shield for the rural poor n The production of masks has been a significant
and middle class of the country. The Pradhan contribution of self-help groups who have
Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) has saved made about 17 crore masks by January, 2023.
the country's poor from spending Rs 80,000 crore
20 New India Samachar August 16-31, 2023
