India has undergone a remarkable transformation, driven by the principles of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last 12 years.

 

Women empowerment in India has witnessed a transformative shift, driven by sustained government efforts to enhance access to healthcare, education, livelihood opportunities, financial inclusion, and leadership roles. The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, launched in 2015, has enabled millions of women to access collateral-free loans to start and expand their businesses. Under the scheme, loans worth more than 40 lakh crore rupees had been disbursed to beneficiaries by March this year, of them, around 17 lakh crore rupees were given to women.

 

The flagship schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, and the Womaniya initiative have collectively strengthened women’s access to banking, savings, and entrepreneurial platforms. Under the Jan Dhan Yojana, a total of over 58 crore accounts have been opened till date and out of these, around 33 crore Jan-Dhan accounts belong to women. Talking to Akashvani News, a resident of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh Saroj Bala, said that after opening the Jan Dhan account, the full benefits of government schemes are now directly credited to her bank account.

 

Another key initiative is the Lakhpati Didi programme, which focuses on helping women to achieve sustainable annual incomes of at least one lakh rupees. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme has contributed to improving the national Sex Ratio at Birth from 918 in 2014-15 to 929 in 2024-25. With sustained policy support and innovative programmes, women are playing a pivotal role in shaping a self-reliant and inclusive economy.