Budget: This is what Nirmala Sitharaman had in store for women

Presenting her first budget as the finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman proposed a few measures to empower the women in the country. Sitharaman has proposed to expand women SHG programme to all districts in the country. Every verifiried woman SHG bank account with a Jan Dhan account will be given an overdraft facility of upto Rs 5000. Also, one woman in every SHG will be made eligible for Rs 1 lakh loan under the MUDRA scheme. "Our approach is to go beyond just women-centric policy making to women-led initiatives and movemnets."

Nirmala on Friday said that the government believes in 'naari to narayani'. Quoting Swami Vivekandanda, she said, "There is no chance for welfare of the world unless condition of women is improved... We look to make progress with greater women's participation." The government also proprosed to build broad based committees with government and private entity to build a roadmap ahead. 

"Role of women in rural India is a sweet story. The government wishes to encourage and facilitate women's role," she said. Sitharaman also cited the recent election—record tirnout of women voters at par with men—and her 78 women colleagues in the Lok Sabha to reinforces the role of women in the country.