In a changing India, women's roles are expanding, and women's commissions must broaden their scope even further to help the country move in a new and essential path, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
While addressing an event marking the 30th foundation day of the National Commission for Women (NCW), the Prime Minister said, “Today, in changing India, the role of women is continuously expanding. Therefore, the expansion of the role of the NCW is also the need of the hour. All the women’s commissions of the country will also have to increase their scope and give a new direction to the women of their states.”
"He went on to say that 30 years is a significant milestone in the life of an individual or an organisation. “This is the time for new responsibilities and for moving forward with new energy,” he added.
Modi noted that women's participation in the "new India's" growth cycle is growing, and that women's commissions should endeavour to promote and recognise women entrepreneurs. He went on to say that "old thinking" that limited women and their abilities to domestic duties had to shift.
"The Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign is linking the ability of women with the development of the country. This change is visible as about 70% beneficiaries of Mudra Yojna are women. The country has seen a threefold increase in the number of women self-help groups in the last 6-7 years. Similarly, in more than 60 thousand startups that have emerged after 2016, 45 percent have at least one woman director,” Modi added.
He noted that approximately 185 women have received Padma Awards since 2015, adding that the government has become more sensitive to women in the last seven years.
“Today India is among the countries with provision of maximum maternity leave. Marriage at an early age does not hinder the education and career of daughters so the age of marriage of daughters is being attempted to be raised to 21 years,” he said, referring to a lawsuit that would elevate women's marriageable age to the same level as men's.
