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Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that over 76,000 startups in India today are led by women, many from Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, generating more than 17 lakh jobs.
Addressing the conference "Viksit Bihar: Envisioning a Developed Bihar through Women's Participation", Singh emphasised that women-led development is at the heart of India's journey toward becoming a developed nation by 2047. Organised by the Department of Rural Development, Bihar Government, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), the event also witnessed the launch of the Jeevika E-Learning Management System App and the book "Shashakt Mahila, Samriddh Bihar." The minister highlighted that the Government's approach to empowering women is structured around four key pillars. He cited milestones such as women's admission to Sainik Schools and the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA), schemes like WISE and GATI that support women in STEM, and initiatives like Jan Dhan and Mudra Yojana that have economically empowered crores of women. The creation of over three crore "Lakhpati Didis" through Self-Help Groups is transforming rural India. In terms of workplace reforms, he mentioned progressive legal policies, including maternity leave after stillbirth and pension rights extended to unmarried or divorced dependent daughters. Singh also praised Bihar's leadership in women's empowerment, citing 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayats and 35 per cent in police and civil services. He urged IIPA to document Bihar's successful women-centric governance model into a replicable manual, so that other states across the country can draw inspiration and implement similar transformative reforms. "Women-centric governance has not only empowered individuals but also reshaped society. What began as targeted welfare has now evolved into institutional leadership," Singh said, adding that the future of Viksit Bharat will be defined by the leadership of women. The conference also featured Union Ministers Giriraj Singh, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Bihar Minister Shravan Kumar, and senior officials. (ANI)
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