Page 25 - NIS English 1-15 June, 2026

Women’s Empowerment Cover Story

Years
of Vikas Yatra

India: Towards Health and Prosperity

“नाारीी तूू नाारीायणीी, तूुमसेे हीी सेामर्थ्यय हीै, तूुम्हीी हीो रीाष्ट्रशक्ति�तू” With this very resolve, New India is scripting ever-newer chapters of
excellence. The prosperity of any nation is unimaginable without the power of its women. Consequently, over the past 12
years, the vision guiding national policy has shifted from merely the upliftment of women to fostering development under the
leadership of women’s power. Numerous initiatives aimed at empowering women across the spheres of education, health,
economic prosperity, and leadership opportunities have proven to be milestones in this direction. Now, the central government
stands committed to ensuring a 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies...
Steps Towards Women’s Empowerment

In
2023 a pivotal first step was taken within 70% of the loans sanctioned under the ‘Mudra
Yojana’ have been given to women.
the new Parliament building with the
enactment of the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan
Adhiniyam’. n Maternity leave for women has been extended to 26 weeks.
n Over the past 12 years, 100 million women joined SHGs.
Today, more than 14 lakh women
in India are successfully serving n To accelerate the rural economy, the government has set
in local government bodies. In a target of transforming 6 crore women into ‘Lakhpati
approximately 21 states, their Didis’. Of these, more than 3 crore rural women have
participation in panchayats has n already achieved the status of ‘Lakhpati Didi’.
reached nearly 50 per cent. Over the last n Under the ‘Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar’ campaign
12 years, more than 3 launched in September 2025, health check-ups were
crore women have become conducted for approximately 7 crore women.
homeowners under the ‘PM
Awas Yojana’. n In 2015, the government launched the Mission
Indradhanush programme, to reach children and
n Over 70% of the houses allotted pregnant women who have not been vaccinated.
under the PM Awas Yojana are
registered either solely or n Mission Shakti Portal: Following the
jointly in the names of launch of the Mission Shakti Portal
women. (https://missionshakti.wcd.gov.
in/) in January 2025, details of 2,428
n Under the ‘Stand-Up India’ scheme, 75% of the loans protection officers were updated on
disbursed have been granted to women. Furthermore, the portal by the states and union
women hold a 55% share in ‘Jan Dhan’ bank accounts. territories by March 23, 2026.

The enrolment of female researchers in PhD
Empowering Women programmes has more than doubled, registering
Over 48% of startups feature at least one female director. an extraordinary growth of 135.6% (from 2014-15
to 2022-23) – thereby adding 64,724 additional
n India’s women’s cricket team female researchers.
has won the World Cup for the The Female Worker
first time. Similarly, the Blind Population Ratio The number of girls
Women’s Cricket Team has also pursuing studies in nearly
won the World Cup. 22% 39% mathematics and science, 43%
specifically in STEM
n The first batch of female education, has reached
cadets has passed out from the
National Defence Academy. 2017-18 2025

June 1-15, 2026 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 23