India is Evolving, and So Are Its Women: FM Sitharaman Addresses in the US
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, discussing India's evolving role in enhancing women's safety, health, and financial independence through various initiatives.
Key Takeaways
- Extension of maternity leave to six months.
- Interest on women's deposits increased to 7.5 percent.
- Tax benefits for property registered in women's names.
- Poshan Scheme supports nutritional needs of mothers.
- Google Cloud's commitment to carbon-free energy by 2030.
New Delhi, April 22 (NationPress) As the Indian government introduces various initiatives aimed at improving women's safety, health, and financial independence, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman remarked during her address at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in the US that India is evolving, and so are its women.
FM Sitharaman informed the audience that, for working women, maternity leave has been extended to six months following the insistence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Two years ago, we initiated a program to raise interest rates on deposits made by women to 7.5 percent to motivate women to save in banks instead of keeping cash at home,” she noted during her keynote address titled 'Laying the foundations for a developed India #ViksitBharat by 2047.'
The Finance Minister also highlighted that property registration in women's names comes with tax benefits, and through the Poshan Scheme, the nutritional requirements of pregnant women and lactating mothers are being fulfilled.
“Under PM Awas Yojana, the registration of pucca houses is conducted either in a woman's name or jointly with a male member,” the Union Minister emphasized.
Earlier, she met with Thomas Kurian, the Chief Executive Officer of Google Cloud, and his team in San Francisco. They discussed the transformative advancements of India's digital infrastructure under the Digital India initiative, positioning the country as a global frontrunner in digital adoption.
Kurian expressed his appreciation for India's AI Mission and the trajectory the country is following under PM Modi's leadership, urging for connectivity between India and the world via land and sea cables.
He mentioned that Google Cloud aims to operate entirely on carbon-free energy at its data centers and offices globally by 2030 and shared insights on the forthcoming investment strategy being developed for India.
The Finance Minister encouraged them to explore local partnerships in India for territorial collaboration and to develop technology for India and the world as part of the 'Make In India' initiative.
