Budget 2024: FM Sitharaman allocates Rs 3 lakh crore for schemes benefitting women and girls

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday announced an allocation of more than Rs 3 lakh crore for schemes benefitting women and girls.

Presenting the Union Budget in Lok Sabha, she said, "This signals our government’s commitment for enhancing women’s role in economic development".

Recalling the focus on Women in the Interim Budget, which was part of the four major castes, namely ‘Garib’ (Poor), ‘Mahilayen’ (Women), ‘Yuva’ (Youth) and ‘Annadata’ (Farmer), in the Union Budget 2024-25, she stated, “We are determined to ensure that all Indians, regardless of religion, caste, gender and age, make substantial progress in realising their life goals and aspirations”.

The Union Minister informed that the Government will facilitate higher participation of women in the workforce through setting up of working women hostels in collaboration with industry, and establishing creches.

In addition, the partnership will seek to organize women-specific skilling programmes, and promotion of market access for women SHG enterprises, Sitharaman announced.

For improving the socio-economic condition of tribal communities, Finance Minister said the government will launch the Pradhan MantriJanjatiyaUnnat Gram Abhiyan by adopting saturation coverage for tribal families in tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts.

"This will cover 63,000 villages benefitting 5 crore tribal people," she said.