Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that to empower women, it is essential that they are given ample opportunities to progress and all obstacles in their path are removed. He said, when women are given the chance to move forward, they open new doors of opportunities for the country. The Prime Minister was addressing the gathering after launching the Bima Sakhi Yojana at Panipat in Haryana today. This initiative of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is designed to empower women aged 18 to 70 years, who are Class 10th pass. They will receive specialized training and a stipend for the first three years to promote financial literacy and insurance awareness.
Prime Minister Modi said, today India is taking another strong step towards women’s empowerment through the Bima Sakhi Yojana, which will help in attaining the objective of insurance for all. He said Insurance for all is a key part of social security and crucial in eradicating poverty. The Prime Minister said women have played a crucial role in providing banking services to villages. He said the bank sakhis are now connecting villagers with banks. Mr. Modi said his government has taken unprecedented steps for women’s empowerment in the last 10 years. The Prime Minister said, he had also pledged to create three crore Lakhpati Didi from the Red Fort, and so far, more than one crore 15 lakh sisters have become Lakhpati Didis across the country. He said these women have started earning more than one lakh rupees every year.
Mr Modi said the government’s Namo Drone Didi scheme has also strengthened the Lakhpati Didi campaign. He said India’s Self-Help Group initiative for women’s empowerment is a movement that will be written in golden letters in history. The Government has made Self-Help Groups a major medium for bringing transformation to the rural economy. Mr Modi said, today, over 10 crore women across the country are connected to Self-Help Groups and through these groups women are earning.
He informed that a few years ago, he had launched the ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ campaign from Panipat which laid a positive impact not only in Haryana but in the entire country. Mr Modi said that the way Haryana has accepted the mantra of ‘Ek hain to safe hain’, has been an example for the rest of the country. He said the double-engine government in Haryana is working at double speed for the welfare of the people. During the function, Mr Modi also distributed appointment Certificates to prospective Bima Sakhis.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stone of the Main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal. The main campus and six regional research stations, spread over 495 acres, will be established at a cost of over 700 crore rupees. The University will have one College of Horticulture for Graduate and Post-Graduate studies and five schools covering 10 horticulture disciplines. It will work towards crop diversification and world-class research for the development of horticulture technologies.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, the government has set a target to recruit over two lakh women under Bima Sakhi Yojana in three years. She said, age will not be a barrier for the scheme and women aged between 18 years to 70 years will be eligible for this scheme. Under the scheme, female agents will get a stipend of 7,000 rupees per month for the first year, 6,000 rupees per month in the second year, and 5,000 rupees per month in the third year. Bima Sakhis will also get the benefit of commission. She said, 3.3 lakh crore rupees have been earmarked for the schemes related to the welfare and empowerment of women in this year’s Union Budget.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said Bima Sakhi Yojana and all other initiatives taken by the Government for the welfare and empowerment of women are the results of Mr Modi’s vision. He said women are the foundation of the country’s and society’s progress.
