Budget 2018-19 has launched various schemes to empower Indian Women: The Prime Minister’s Ujjwala Scheme will now be targeted at 80 million poor women. Announcement of a special mission to provide LPG connection in the name of women members of poor households.

• Under the PM’s Saubhagya Yojana for providing electricity to all households, the government is spending 160 billion rupees.
• 19.75 crore rupees have been sanctioned for women safety e.g. for Nirbhaya Fund.
• Rs. 75,000 crore rupees will be provided as loans to Women Self Help Groups till March 2019.
• For organic farming, Women Self Help Groups will be given loan and encouragement for their ventures.
• A new Gold Policy is in the anvil whereby women can deposit their gold in the bank and earn interest in the range of 2.25 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
• For women employees their contribution to EFP has been cut from 12 per cent to 8 percent for first three years.
• Six months maternity leave with full salary will be given to women employees.
• 20 million new toilets will be constructed under the aegis of the Swachh Bharat Mission. This will have a positive impact on women’s dignity, girl’s education and overall health of the family.

Beti Bachao Beti. Padhao is a collaborative initiative being run by Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Human Resources and Family Welfare and it covers all Indian States and Union Territories. This flagship scheme was launched in the year 2015.

The scheme has three primary objectives:

• Prevent female infanticide
• Devise new schemes and work cohesively to ensure that every girl child is secured and protected
• Ensure every child gets quality education

Sukanya Samridhi Yojana is a small deposit scheme for the girl child launched as part of the ‘Beti Bacho, Bet Padhao’ campaign by the Government of India. It is meant exclusively for a girl child. The scheme is meant to meet the education and marriage expenses of a girl child.