The Economic Survey 2024 shows that women’s participation in India’s workforce has increased significantly, reaching 37% in 2022-23, largely driven by rural women. This shift is largely driven by rural women, who dominate in agriculture-related roles.
The survey also highlights the rise in entrepreneurship among women, with 68% of loans under the PM Mudra Yojana sanctioned to female entrepreneurs. Women constitute over half of the beneficiaries of the Prime Minister’s Rural Digital Literacy Campaign.
Financial inclusion, such as the Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojana, has also played a crucial role in this empowerment journey. Rural microfinance, particularly through the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-NRLM, has also played a significant role in empowering women.
Initiatives like “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” have also stimulated cultural shifts towards valuing and investing in girls, resulting in improved sex ratios and reduced maternal mortality rates.