Prospects for women get better when they are at fulcrum of governance, says Smriti Irani

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday said there is a need to ensure that a new India is built on the basis of women-led development. Highlighting various women-focused development programs launched by the Narendra Modi-led government over the last few years, Irani said the prospects for women get better when they are at the fulcrum of governance. “The Prime Minister says that we have for years initiated programs which are dedicated towards women development, but as we build a new India we need to ensure that it is an India built on the basis of women-led development,” she said in her address at the Economic Times SDG Summit. Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana, 22 crore women, who were earlier unbanked, have now received financial services, Irani stated. She said under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), over 17 crore women have been benefited. The minister said over eight crore Indian women have benefitted from clean cooking fuel under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). “Today, I can happily share that over 10 crore families have household toilets, primarily benefiting the women in the family,” Irani said. The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which benefits over 10 crore families, has predominantly helped women in rural India gain access to better health care facilities, she said.