Women to play most important role in creating Viksit Bharat: PM Modi

New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said women will play the most important role in creating Viksit Bharat and initiatives taken by the government will empower them.

In an exclusive interview with PTI, the prime minister said in the past few years, it has been a matter of pride that Indian women are leading the way in various domains of science and technology.

“Whether it is space or start-ups, they are making a great impact,” he said.

Modi said the welfare of women guided every decision taken by his government and the new initiative to set up girls’ STEM hostels in every district can lead to significant rise in education and innovation among women.

He said the decision to train 1.5 lakh caregivers next year and expand institutions for Allied Health Professionals will formalise care work, which is largely restricted to the informal sector.

The prime minister said the decision to train caregivers will create dignified, certified employment for women and simultaneously strengthen India’s healthcare capacity.

He said this year's Budget also factored in the new-age sectors of the economy, and through AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges and the establishment of formal creative infrastructure, the government is ensuring that sectors like animation, VFX, gaming and digital content have record levels of women’s participation.

“These are sunrise sectors and women’s participation will make them even more vibrant,” Modi said.

“It is my conviction that women will play the most important role in creating Viksit Bharat,” the prime minister said.

Modi said right from the birth of the girl child to the fulfilment of women’s aspirations, the government has initiatives and reforms that are working for women at every step.

“Whether it is Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Swachh Bharat, scholarships for girls, PM Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, MUDRA or PM Surakshit Matritva Yojana, the flagship schemes of our government are addressing women’s needs and aspirations,” he said.

The prime minister said the government has announced an initiative that will use innovative finance models to support community-owned retail outlets.

“When women control market access, supply chains and retail platforms, they move up the value chain. This directly lowers the barriers of capital access, market access and scale,” he said.

The prime minister said this should be seen alongside the government’s efforts to encourage entrepreneurship among women, such as Self-Help Groups, the MUDRA Yojana and Lakhpati Didis, through which crores of women have become self-reliant.

“This also boosts women's social status,” Modi said.

He said it is well known that the khadi, village industries, handloom, and handicrafts sectors see significant participation by women.

“The Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj initiative strengthens this sector by providing training, skilling, quality, and market access to people. The consolidation of various existing schemes under a National Handloom and Handicraft Programme will also provide an integrated, focused approach,” the prime minister said.