International Women's Day 2024: 5 key government schemes for women

International Women's Day 2024: The government has launched several schemes to develop women's skills and help them tackle multiple challenges at their workspaces

International Women's Day is celebrated every year on March 8 to recognise the contribution of women in all sectors of life. Women have played an instrumental role in the development and prosperity of the world during the last few decades and proved that they deserve what they are getting. They have even surpassed men in many spheres of life. 

Seeing the women's potential, the government has also brought several schemes for them to tackle the challenges they still face in the workspaces.

Here are some of the government schemes to empower women and give them equal chances in the male-dominated world. 

The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)

The Women Entrepreneurship Platform is a platform that contains all the information and services relevant to women entrepreneurs. The WEP helps enable partnerships to bring crucial content, workshops, campaigns and other learning avenues and growth to its users from trailblazers in the industry. 

The services are provided in six major areas, i.e., Funding and Financial Assistance, Entrepreneur skills and Mentorship, Community and Networking, Incubation and Acceleration, Compliance and Tax Assistance and Marketing Assistance. 

The benefit of this scheme can be availed by both existing and aspiring women entrepreneurs. 

Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana

Another government scheme to enhance women's skills is 'Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana' led by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises under the Coir Board Department. This is an exclusive training programme to upgrade women artisans' skills in the coir industry.

This is a two-month training in coir spinning and throughout the training, the trainee will get a stipend of Rs 3000 per month. After receiving the training, the artisans can be available for assistance through the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) to set up coir units. 

Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women

The Ministry of Women and Child Development initiative is available for women from the age of 16 years and above. Under the scheme, women are provided with skills that enable them to become self-employed/entrepreneurs. 

Women Scientists Scheme

The Women Scientists Scheme is supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology and it provides opportunities to women scientists between 27-57 years old who want to return to the mainstream after a career break. Under this scheme, women scientists are encouraged to pursue research in frontier areas of science and engineering, problems of societal relevance, and to take up Science and Technology-based internships followed by self-employment.

The Women Scientists Scheme also provides grants for a well-defined research project for a maximum of three years that covers the fellowship of the applicant and the small equipment cost, travel, contingencies and more. 

Mudra Yojana for Women

The Ministry of Finance started an initiative under the Department of Financial Services, the Mudra Yojana for women that offers loans up to Rs 10 lakh to women entrepreneurs who head or manage any manufacturing or production business without any collateral.

The loans come with low interest and flexible repayment tenure for a maximum period of 5 years and a minimum of three years. These mudra loans are allocated for non-farming, non-corporate and non-agriculture-based businesses headed by women entrepreneurs.