Gandhinagar, July 3 (IANS) The Gujarat government has launched a targeted initiative to support 50,000 women from Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) card-holding families across 13 aspirational talukas and two aspirational districts.

The scheme, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8, 2025, aims to foster self-reliance and economic participation among women through direct digital interventions.

At the heart of the programme is a first-of-its-kind ‘Ring-Fencing Digital Wallet Transfer’ system, introduced by the Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Company Ltd. (GLPC) under the state’s Rural Development Department as part of the G-SAFAL scheme.

This mechanism transfers financial assistance directly into individual digital wallets, ensuring funds are safeguarded and exclusively used for approved livelihood activities.

In the initial rollout, 674 women have already received assistance via digital wallets, with the system praised for its transparency, security, and targeted utility.

By year-end, officials expect the number of beneficiaries to reach 28,000, positioning the scheme as a key driver of rural women’s economic empowerment in Gujarat.

Gujarat has rolled out a range of impactful women-focused schemes to promote education, economic empowerment, health, and safety.

The Sakhi Sahas Yojana, with a Rs 100 crore budget, supports women entrepreneurs through equipment assistance, loan guarantees, and capacity-building, alongside plans for working‑women hostels in major cities.

The Mukhyamantri Mahila Utkarsh Yojana provides interest‑free loans of up to Rs 1 lakh to eligible women to start or expand micro‑enterprises.

Under the PURNA scheme, adolescent girls (15–18 years) receive nutrition, health care, life‑skills education, and micronutrient supplements.

The state also supports women’s social security through scholarship, pension, and maternal health schemes like Namo Shri, which disbursed Rs 222 crore to 400,000 mothers in the past year, significantly reducing maternal mortality.

The Mukhyamantri Mahila Utkarsh Yojana has empowered over 10 lakh women through interest-free loans to boost micro-enterprises, while the Sakhi Sahas Yojana supports aspiring women entrepreneurs with financial aid, skill-building, and market access.

For adolescent girls, the PURNA (Prevention of Under-Nutrition and Reduction of Nutritional Anaemia) scheme ensures iron supplements, health awareness, and life-skills training.

–IANS

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