Women's Day 2025: The world will celebrate International Women's Day on March 8. The day serves as a global platform to acknowledge and promote women's rights and empowerment. The Government of India has launched several schemes and initiatives aimed at enhancing the socio-economic status of women, acknowledging their vital role in society and fostering their empowerment.
The theme for International Women's Day 2025 is 'Accelerate Action,' highlighting the urgent need to advance gender equality through bold and decisive measures. The theme underscores the importance of closing wage gaps, increasing women's representation in leadership roles, and ensuring equal access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. In this article, we will discuss some of the key central government schemes dedicated to women's welfare and empowerment.
Launched in January 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BBBP) scheme addresses the declining child sex ratio and promotes the education and well-being of girls. The name Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao translates to 'Save the girl child, educate the girl child'. The scheme aims to improve the child sex ratio, promote gender equality and women's empowerment, ensure the survival and protection of girl children, and encourage the education and active participation of girls.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), launched in May 2016, provides free gas connections and subsidised gas cylinders to BPL families. The flagship scheme was launched with an objective to make clean cooking fuel such as LPG available to the rural and deprived households which were otherwise using traditional cooking fuels such as firewood, coal, cow-dung cakes etc. The scheme directly benefits women by providing them with clean cooking fuel, as the use of traditional cooking fuels had adverse effects on the health of rural women and the environment.
Launched under the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao mission, the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana allows parents to open savings accounts for their newborn female children. The mission focuses on improving the child sex ratio by promoting education and financial security for girls. It helps parents save for their daughter's education and future.
Mission Indradhanush, also known as Mission Rainbow, is an ambitious government scheme for women's empowerment in India. It is a crucial public health initiative launched by Union Health Minister JP Nadda on December 25, 2014. Under the scheme, the government ensures full immunisation of pregnant women and children. The mission aims to address gaps in immunization coverage and ensure that essential vaccines reach those who need them most.
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), launched in 2017, is a maternity benefit program that offers cash incentives to pregnant and lactating women for their first living child. The scheme aims to improve the health and nutrition of both mother and child while also providing compensation for wage loss, if any.
Kishori Shakti Yojna scheme aims to improve the nutritional and health status and self-development of girls in the age group of 11-18 years. It provide the adolescent girl with the required linkage with education, life skills, literacy and numeracy skills through the non-formal stream of education, to stimulate a desire for more social exposure and knowledge, and to help them improve their decision-making capabilities. It also helps to train and equip the adolescent girl to improve/upgrade other life skills.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, a flagship scheme of the government of India, was launched on April 8, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate easy, collateral-free micro-credit of up to Rs 20 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm small and micro-entrepreneurs for income-generating activities. Loans under PMMY are provided by Member Lending Institutions (MLIs, Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), and other financial intermediaries.
The Working Women Hostel Scheme promotes safe and affordable accommodation for working women, along with day care facilities for their children, wherever possible. The scheme is implemented in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas where employment opportunities for women are available.
The Namo Drone Didi Scheme empowers women by training them in drone technology for agricultural purposes. The scheme aims to provide 15,000 women self-help groups (SHGs) with drones to assist in spraying pesticides and fertilizers, promoting technological participation and economic independence among rural women.
One Stop Centres (OSC) are intended to support women affected by violence, in private and public spaces, within the family, community and at the workplace. The objectives of the Scheme are to provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof and to facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women.
It is one of the key women empowerment schemes in India. Under the Lakhpati Didi Yojana, the government aims to empower 2 crore women working in Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by helping them build a capital of more than Rs 1 lakh through various income-generating activities.
Mahila E-Haat is an e-marketplace for women to showcase their products. The objective of this scheme is to empower and strengthen the financial inclusion of Women entrepreneurs.
The objective of the Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) scheme is to provide women with skills that enhance their employability and enable them to become self-employed or entrepreneurs. The scheme targets women aged 16 and above across the country. Grants are provided directly to institutions, organizations, and NGOs rather than the states or union territories.
The Stand-Up India Scheme aims to provide loans ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore to SC, ST, and women entrepreneurs. The loan covers up to 75 per cent of the total project cost, supporting women in setting up new enterprises. This scheme plays a vital role in women's empowerment by ensuring that women entrepreneurs receive the necessary financial assistance to start and expand their businesses.
