Development and empowerment of women was one of the cradinal themes in the interim Budget. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her speech, highlighted that the government has four key issues to pay attention to, ‘’They are Garib, Mahilayen, Yuva and Annadata. Their requirements, their expectations and their well-being are our prime concern’’. The government made it clear that women's empowerment is the need of the hour and it will play a major source in the development of India. Will the slew of measures taken for the upliftment of women continue in the upcoming budget? The upcoming Budget 2024 is expected to introduce more measures for women in terms of increased subsidies or price controls on essential goods to ensure their affordability. Measures such as providing direct benefit transfers (DBT) for cooking gas and other essentials can ease their financial burden. Additionally, enhancements in healthcare services through increased funding for public hospitals, and free or subsidized health check-ups are highly anticipated. Also ReadWill Budget 2024 bring back train fare concessions for senior citizens? Schemes announced in the Interim Budget 2024 During her Interim Budget 2024 speech, the Finance Minister announced that Rs 30 crore Mudra Yojana loans have been disbursed to women entrepreneurs. That apart a total of 83 lakh self-help groups (SHG) are helping in transforming one crore women to become Lakhpati Didis. The most notable statement she shared was on the number of women enrolment in the STEM courses. The representation by the particular section was 43 percent of the total enrollment. As per PIB data, it is one of the highest percentages in terms of enrolment in the world. A 28 percent increase was recorded in the registration of women candidates for higher education. One-third reservation in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women was also announced by the FM in the Budget session. The government also declared that over 70 percent of rural houses were assigned to women as individual or joint owners under PM Awas Yojana. An upsurge in the women's workforce via its entrepreneurship program was also depicted through these schemes. Initiatives announced in the Budget 2023 speech: The announcement in Interim Budget was in many ways a continuation of the initiatives in the previous Budget. The ‘Mahila Samman Saving Certificate’ scheme was introduced in which a fixed interest rate of 7.5 percent for two years was offered. This scheme was available for all girls and women, the maximum deposit limit was set at Rs 2 lakh. The option of partial withdrawals was also allowed. Also ReadUnion Budget 2024: Allocation to development - Will focus on agriculture continue? The government had allocated the largest funds of Rs 20, 554.31 crore to Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programs. Under this scheme, funds are provided for the welfare of pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls. Around 81 lakh self-help groups under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihood Mission were announced to be created. The motive of this scheme was to make rural women economically independent. As per the finance minister, small women farmers were granted Rs 54, 000 crore in financial assistance under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi program. The funds for the National Commission for Women, Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA), and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights were slightly increased to Rs 168 crore.
