Women Empowerment

Chhattisgarh govt releases 22nd instalment of Mahatari Vandan Yojana

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai disbursed ₹634.65 crore at a programme in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district

Rising women-focused cash schemes pose tough fiscal, political calls

Bihar's last-minute scheme reflects a broader shift toward unconditional transfers, even as many states run revenue deficits and debt levels climb

12 states to spend ₹1.68 trillion on women's cash schemes: Report

A total of 12 states across India will collectively spend Rs 1.68 lakh crore on unconditional cash transfer schemes for women in 2025-26, up from just two states implementing such programmes three years ago, according to a new report by think tank PRS Legislative Research. The report said six of these 12 states have projected a revenue deficit this year, highlighting growing fiscal pressure linked to the rapid expansion of women-centric welfare payouts. "Among the 12 states implementing UCT schemes, six have estimated a revenue deficit in 2025-26. However, adjusting the revenue balance to exclude spending on UCT schemes shows an improvement in fiscal indicators of these states," the report said. Unconditional cash transfer (UCT) schemes, which aim to empower women from economically weaker households through monthly direct benefit payments, have become a key welfare feature in several states. The number of states providing largely unconditional cash transfers (UCT) to women has ...

Odisha working to make every woman financially independent: CM Majhi

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday said his government was committed to ensuring that every woman in the state becomes financially independent, self-reliant and capable of entrepreneurship. Inaugurating the second edition of the 'Subhadra Shakti Mela' here, Majhi said the fair, which will continue till November 12, was a platform to showcase women's empowerment and entrepreneurship under the Subhadra Yojana. "Our goal is to create a prosperous Odisha by 2036 and to make it the growth engine of a developed India by 2047. This goal will be fulfilled when the power of our lakhs of Subhadra mothers is awakened. They will be empowered and their valuable contribution will be in every field of development," he said. The Subhadra Yojana is a unique model to achieve that goal, he stated. He added that Odisha has achieved unprecedented success by creating 17 lakh Lakhpati Didis in a very short time under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship scheme Lakhpati Didi Yojana.

Priyanka Gandhi urges women to unite as a collective political force

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said that women constitute 50 per cent of the country and when they use this force collectively as a political strength they can shape the country. She also said that women's efforts are often unrecognised, irrespective of their family or social status but, it is the women who stand strong whenever the family or society faces problems, Priyanka said. Speaking at the Kudumbashree CDS annual celebrations organised here by the Padinjarathara panchayat, the Congress MP from Wayanad said, "When you understand your strength as a collective force, you can shape this country. You are 50 per cent of our nation and you must use this force collectively as a political strength, as a political force as well". "So, I hope that more and more of you will also come into politics, more and more of you will lead, more and more of you will show the men how much women can do when we stand strong and when we recognise our own inner strength," she said. The .

Active participation of women needed to achieve Viksit Bharat: Prez Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said that the active participation of women was necessary for the country to leverage its demographic dividend and achieve the vision of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047. Murmu, speaking at the centenary celebrations of St Teresa's College here, also said that a society led by women leaders is likely to be more humane while also being more efficient. She pointed out that the Gender Budget allocation has increased by four and a half times over the last decade and that women-led MSMEs have nearly doubled in number between 2011 and 2024. "One of the key pillars for achieving the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 is reaching 70 per cent women workforce participation. Women from different socio-economic segments have been driving India's progress," the President said. She further stated that Kerala has the most favourable gender ratio in the country and that it "can be emulated by other states." The president noted that women from Kerala hav

Datanomics: Women secure 7% of Nobel Prizes, mostly in Literature & Peace

Since 2021, three women have won Nobel awards in Peace, two each in Literature and Medicine, one each in Physics, Chemistry and Economics

Opposition slams exclusion of women journalists from Afghan FM presser

The opposition on Saturday termed the absence of female journalists from a press conference of visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi "unacceptable" and an "insult to women", and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the "emptiness" of his slogans on 'Nari Shakti'. The Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) said the act was "highly discriminatory" and urged the government to take the matter up with the Afghan Embassy to ensure that such gender- based exclusion in media briefings does not occur in the future. Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Modi over the absence of female journalists from the presser, saying by allowing "exclusion" of women scribes from a public forum, the prime minister is telling every woman in India that he is "too weak to stand up for them". In a post on X, Gandhi said, "Mr Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling ..

Coal India's first all-women-operated central store unit opens at SECL

The company spokesperson said that store operations will be conducted through a modern SAP-based digital management system, ensuring efficiency and transparency

One for the girls: Poor sex ratio underlines Delhi's social regression

Strengthening legal deterrents in this manner may be necessary to ensure that loopholes in the law banning sex-selection tests are closed

₹10,000 direct transfer for 7.5 mn women as PM Modi launches Bihar scheme

The ₹7,500-cr scheme, launched ahead of the Bihar polls, will provide ₹10,000 each to 7.5 million women, aiming to boost self-employment, livelihoods, and financial empowerment

Statsguru: The paradox of women's empowerment, leadership in South Asia

South Asia, therefore, has been central to the story of women in top leadership, but the numbers remain small even today

Govt committed to empowering women, Ladki Bahin to continue: CM Fadnavis

The Maharashtra government won't stop the popular Ladki Bahin' programme and instead is committed to creating one crore Lakhpati Didis', who will earn Rs 1 lakh every year, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday. The government will also provide employment opportunities to women by setting up women-led credit societies in villages, he said after launching the statewide Mukhyamantri Samruddha Panchayat Raj Abhiyan' at Kingaon in Phulambri taluka in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The campaign aims to ensure that every village receives the benefits of the central and state schemes. Maharashtra will not prosper unless villages in the state register progress, he said. It is not possible until the poor, labourers, and villages prosper, he said. The CM asserted that the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana', under which eligible women beneficiaries receive monthly assistance of Rs 1,500, won't be discontinued. Some people claimed that the Ladki Bahin scheme will be scrapped. Our siste

How HR can Shape the Future of Business

HR is now a strategic voice shaping people, culture, and business. In this episode, Urvi Aradhya, CHRO at K Raheja Corp, shares insights on comebacks, leadership, diversity, and the future of HR.

Cash transfers narrow gender gaps but don't alter babies' growth outcomes

The study was based on the evaluation of a maternal cash transfer programme in Jharkhand. Around 480 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), representing 90 per cent in the state, were selected

Haryana to implement 'Lado Lakshmi Yojana', women to get ₹2,100 monthly aid

Ruling BJP on Thursday fulfilled its major poll promise, with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announcing the rollout of the 'Lado Lakshmi Yojana' from September 25 under which eligible women will be given Rs 2,100 monthly assistance. Saini announced the decision after a meeting of the Haryana cabinet. The cabinet took a decision to implement the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana, Saini said. This scheme will be implemented from September 25, on the day of Deendayal Upadhyaya's birth anniversary, he said. Under this scheme, all eligible women beneficiaries will get Rs 2,100 financial assistance every month, Saini said. From September 25, women aged 23 years and above will get benefits of this scheme.Be it married or unmarried, both categories will get benefit of the scheme, he said. In the first phase of this scheme rollout, we have decided to include those families whose annual income is below Rs 1 lakh, Saini said. In coming time, this scheme will be expanded in phases to include

60% women in energy sector seek gender-based policies: IESA report

About 60 per cent of women respondents in the energy sector have called for gender-responsive policies to boost the country's 500 GW renewables target by 2030, a report by industry body India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) said. The study, conducted across 26 states highlighted the urgent need for strong policy and regulatory frameworks to foster participation of women in India's energy sector, an IESA statement said. The report revealed that 60 per cent of women in energy sector sought gender-responsive policies to boost India's 500 GW clean energy target by 2030. With robust government schemes and initiatives such as the PM Surya Ghar, PM KUSUM, and National Green Hydrogen Mission, the industry is striving towards unlocking the full potential of women's engagement in the sector. IESA President Debmalya Sen said in the statement, "Women are not just participating in the energy transition -- they are leading it from the frontlines." The IESA is a premier industry body dedicated to

Govt must fix demand side issues to grow women's participation in workforce

This exhortation stems from a realisation that, at around 33 per cent (World Bank, 2024), India's female labour force participation (LFPR) ranks low globally

Tamil Nadu's MGNREGA efficiency outpaces bigger and poorer states

Over several financial years, the data shows that Tamil Nadu has received and utilised more funds than many larger and poorer states

Govt aiming to take number of 'Lakhpati Didis' to 20 mn by Aug 15: Chouhan

Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said 1.5 crore women have already become Lakhpati Didis in India and his ministry is aiming to take the figure to 2 crore by August 15. 'Lakhpati Didi' refers to a woman member of a Self-Help Group (SHG) who earns an income of Rs 1 lakh or more per year. Chouhan visited the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Directorate of Groundnut Research in Junagadh town of Gujarat, where he reviewed its activities and interacted with farmers and Lakhpati Didis of SHGs, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in a release. In his address, Chouhan said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a resolve to make every woman a Lakhpati Didi. "Why should any woman remain poor? This campaign is being run across India. Till now, 1.5 crore women have already become Lakhpati Didis and my department is constantly taking steps to make 2 crore women Lakhpati Didis by August 15," he said. In Junagadh, there are women ...