In UP, PM Modi avers rural women doing business worth Rs 75,000 crores; bats for equality

Hailing the women empowerment witnessed in Uttar Pradesh after Yogi Adityanath-led Government assumed power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday detailed upon work done by the 'sisters & daughters' in UP and across India. Speaking from Prayagraj after unveiling key schemes aimed at empowering women, PM Modi spoke about the increase in the minimum age for women to get married. The 403-seat UP assembly, which Yogi Adityanath-led BJP administers with a thumping majority of 314 seats, is up for grabs as the State nears elections in February 2022.

PM Modi on increase in the minimum age for women to get married:

"The government of double engine, without any discrimination, without any partiality, is working relentlessly to empower the future of daughters. Just a few days back, the central government took another decision. Earlier, the legal age of marriage for sons was 21 years, but for daughters, it was only 18 years. Why this discrimination? The daughters also wanted that they should get time to pursue their studies, to get equal opportunities. Therefore, efforts are being made to raise the age of marriage to 21 years for daughters. The country is taking this decision for the sake of daughters, but who is suffering because of this, they are all watching," added PM Modi. 

'Rural women doing business worth Rs 75 thousand crores'

Hailing the empowerment schemes brought by the Central Government, Prime Minister said that women from villages are doing business worth Rs 75 thousand crores.

Prime Minister on several women-centric schemes

• Women have received easy access to Sanitary pads under Pradhan Mantri Matri Vandana Yojana.
• Better health facilities under Ujjwala Yojana.
• PM Awas Yojana under which over 30 lakh houses have been built in UP from which up to 25 lakh homeowners are women.
• Under Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana, women have been linked with self-help groups and rural organizations across the country. 
• Under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, 70% of the accounts are held by women entrepreneurs.

PM Modi on 'Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana'

Speaking further on women empowerment, the Prime Minister said that over Rs. 1,000 crore have been transferred to the accounts of more than 1 lakh beneficiaries of Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana. 'This scheme is becoming a medium of trust for the poor,' added PM Modi. 

"Right now, here, I got the privilege of transferring crores of rupees to the accounts of more than one lakh beneficiary daughters of Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana. Uttar Pradesh has undergone a major facelift for 'Stree Sashaktikaran' and has empowered women from across sectors over the last 4-5 years, especially via banking reforms and entrepreneurship," said PM Modi. 

PM Modi on women empowerment across India

"We made efforts to awaken the consciousness of the society through campaigns like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. Today, the number of daughters has increased a lot in many states of the country. There was a system where a property was considered to be the right of men only. Today, the schemes of our government are removing this inequality as well. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is the biggest example of this," mentioned the Prime Minister.