New Delhi, June 8 (IANS) As the BJP-led NDA government marks 11 years in power, it is celebrating “New momentum for Nari Shakti- 11 years of Shashkt Nari” — a decade-long journey of empowering women through targeted reforms and ambitious missions.

The Central government, in a press release, has hailed its efforts as a transformation of Indian women from “passive recipients to active agents of change, central to India’s growth story.”

Nari Shakti, now recognised as a national mission, aims to empower every woman — urban or rural, young or elderly — to live with dignity, safety, and self-reliance.

According to the government, the approach has been bold, inclusive, and lifecycle-based, spanning healthcare, education, digital access, sanitation, financial inclusion, and more.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly stressed that India can only progress when its women are equally empowered.

Since 2014, women have increasingly taken the lead in entrepreneurship, science, defence, sports, and governance.

With women and children forming nearly 67.7 per cent of the population, the government sees women’s empowerment not just as social reform, but as a strategic necessity for national growth.

The Modi government’s efforts have been anchored in a comprehensive, lifecycle-based policy framework. Landmark initiatives such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Mission Shakti, and the constitutional passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam have shifted the focus from women’s development to women-led development.

This act reserves 33 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women, with representation for SC and ST women — a legislative milestone in India’s democratic journey.

Women’s representation in education, especially in STEM fields, skilling programmes, and entrepreneurship, has surged.

Legal and labour reforms have improved workplace safety, while schemes like PM Awas Yojana, DAY-NRLM, and support for women farmers have deepened financial and social empowerment.

Health and nutrition have been a major pillar of the government’s strategy. Mission POSHAN integrates nutrition and health services for children, adolescent girls, and mothers.

Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, the Centre aims to upgrade two lakh Anganwadi Centres by the end of the 15th Finance Commission cycle.

The Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi initiative integrates early education with nutrition, and the award-winning Poshan Tracker app has modernised monitoring efforts.

Additional schemes such as Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Janani Suraksha Yojana, SUMAN, PMSMA, and PM Matru Vandana Yojana have enhanced maternal and child healthcare.

The government also cites housing and hygiene schemes like PMAY-G, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Jal Jeevan Mission as transformative, especially for rural women. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao continue to support girls’ education and financial independence.

In defence, STEM, and public administration, Indian women are now occupying leadership roles once considered beyond reach. And with the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, their role in governance will be permanently etched into India’s democratic framework.

Major legal reforms have also shaped this decade. The abolition of Triple Talaq offered Muslim women long-overdue dignity and protection. Raising the legal age of marriage from 18 to 21 enabled young women to focus on education and careers.

Maternity leave was doubled to 26 weeks; and with the repeal of Article 35A, women in Jammu and Kashmir now enjoy equal property rights.

Women entrepreneurs have received special focus. Flagship schemes such as PM MUDRA Yojana, Stand-Up India, and DAY-NRLM have removed barriers to institutional credit and encouraged grassroots innovation.

Mission Shakti, launched in mission mode, continues to unify efforts across sectors and lifecycle stages to ensure safety and empowerment.

The government says these policies have transformed social welfare from a safety net into a springboard for dignity, leadership, and opportunity.

“From housing to hygiene, each initiative has uplifted lives and strengthened the foundation of Nari Shakti in rural India,” the Centre stated.

The last 11 years, according to the government, have not just witnessed an increase in the presence of women across sectors but have institutionalised a framework to sustain and grow this progress.

According to the government, as India enters Amrit Kaal, the Centre envisions Nari Shakti as the driving force of a stronger, more inclusive nation — where women are not just participants but the leaders, innovators, and architects of tomorrow.

–IANS

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