{"id":71206,"date":"2026-04-10T18:09:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T12:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=71206"},"modified":"2026-04-10T18:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T12:45:26","slug":"nari-shakti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/10-04-2026\/nari-shakti","title":{"rendered":"Nari Shakti, India\u2019s Defining Reform for the Next Decade"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Syllabus:<\/strong> GS1\/Indian Society; GS2\/Governance & Social Justice; GS3\/Indian Economy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Over the past decade, India has transitioned from viewing women’s empowerment as a welfare objective to treating it as a driver of economic growth and democratic deepening<\/strong>. This shift is reflected in the convergence of financial inclusion, healthcare, education, and constitutional reform into a unified development strategy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (2023)<\/strong> and rising Female Labour Force Participation data together mark a potential inflection point  moving empowerment beyond access to authority<\/strong>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The central challenge now is not policy creation but policy penetration<\/strong>  ensuring that no eligible woman is left behind on the path to Viksit Bharat 2047<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    From Women’s Development to Women-Led Development<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    • The conceptual shift  from women as beneficiaries<\/strong> to women as agents of change<\/strong>  represents a structural reorientation in India’s development philosophy.\n
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      • It aligns with SDG-5 (Gender Equality) targets:<\/strong> eliminating discrimination, ensuring full participation, and recognising unpaid care work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • India’s G20 Presidency (2023)<\/strong> explicitly adopted “Women-Led Development”<\/strong> as a core theme, reflected in the G20 New Delhi Declaration<\/strong>, elevating it from a domestic to a global commitment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The constitutional basis for this approach lies in Articles 15(3), 39(a), and 243D<\/strong> \u2014 enabling special provisions for women in policy, economy, and local governance respectively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Key Pillars of Women’s Empowerment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Financial Inclusion and Economic Agency:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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        • PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY):<\/strong> Over 57 crore bank accounts<\/strong> opened, with approximately 55% held by women<\/strong>  giving millions their first formal financial identity and enabling direct benefit transfers through the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan\u2013Aadhaar\u2013Mobile)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Self-Help Groups (SHGs):<\/strong> Nearly 10 crore women<\/strong> organised through 90 lakh+ SHGs<\/strong>, the world’s largest microfinance programme<\/strong> (NABARD-led) driving grassroots entrepreneurship, collective bargaining, and social capital formation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Lakhpati Didi Scheme:<\/strong> Targets making 3 crore SHG women<\/strong> earn a sustainable annual income of \u20b91 lakh+, transitioning them from subsistence to prosperity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • MUDRA Yojana:<\/strong> Approximately 70% of loans<\/strong> disbursed to women entrepreneurs, expanding micro-enterprise credit at the grassroots level.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Mahila Samman Savings Certificate (2023):<\/strong> A special savings instrument for women offering 7.5% interest<\/strong>, promoting financial security and investment habit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Health and Nutrition:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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          • Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY):<\/strong> Over 10.5 crore LPG connections<\/strong> provided, addressing the energy-gender nexus<\/strong>  reducing indoor air pollution, health risks, drudgery, and freeing productive time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Ayushman Bharat:<\/strong> Expanded financial protection in healthcare for women from vulnerable households.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • PM Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan:<\/strong> Improved antenatal care and maternal health outcomes through assured checkups.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY):<\/strong> Direct cash transfer of \u20b95,000<\/strong> to pregnant and lactating mothers for the first child, supporting maternal nutrition and partial wage compensation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Education and Social Norm Change<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n