Women at the heart of India’s growth story: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Over the past 11 years, Indian women have emerged as key drivers of the country’s progress, with targeted government schemes empowering them economically and socially, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday.

Speaking at an event marking “11 Years of Sashakt Nari”, Sitharaman highlighted that women now hold 55.7% of accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). Over two-thirds (68%) of beneficiaries under the MUDRA loan scheme are also women, enabling many to start businesses and achieve financial independence.

Women are playing a strong role in India’s entrepreneurial landscape, as 74% of StartUp India scheme beneficiaries are female entrepreneurs. In rural areas, 73% of homes built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) are registered in women’s names, helping to boost their social security and dignity.

The Finance Minister also noted that the government has provided 10 crore free LPG connections to women through the Ujjwala Yojana scheme, which has reduced the health risks associated with traditional cooking fuels such as firewood and cow dung cakes.

Sitharaman underscored the impact of the Jan Dhan scheme, pointing out that the average balance per account had risen from Rs 1,065 in March 2015 to Rs 4,352.

Around 80% of accounts are active, with only 8.4% at zero balance. Notably, 66.6% of Jan Dhan accounts have been opened in rural and semi-urban areas, with women holding 29.56 crore accounts.

Launched in 2014, the Jan Dhan Yojana aimed to bring banking services to the poorest citizens by enabling zero-balance account openings. Sitharaman said that through a range of such initiatives, women have become powerful agents of change in India’s development journey.