A Budget for the working Indian woman

The 2015 Finance Budget had promised to have something for everyone. It may have not pleased every single sector in the economy but it did manage to take some steps towards the development of women and minorities.

In the past few years, there has been a lot of focus on the empowerment and development of women. So here, SheThePeople.TV, gives you ways in which the working Indian women will be supported by the current budget.

As announced by the Finance Minister, Mr.Arun Jaitley, the Make in India programme is aimed at raising the number of jobs in the country: as according to the presented report, currently, two-thirds of India’s population comprises of people below the age of 35. With the emphasis on the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ initiative (and the promise of making schools available for children everywhere in the country), this would mean equal job opportunities for women in the coming years.

Various researches have proved that women, all across the world choose entrepreneurship over formal, time-bound office jobs. This year, since start-ups and new ventures will receive the required support from the government, women in the country have a big reason to smile. As women benefit from policies like these, their contribution to the economy will be more substantial than it has been in the past, resulting in gender equality in terms of workforce, at least.

For the existing women workforce in the country, the Budget proposes better pension plans that offers better security after retirement. Even though this is aimed at benefiting both men and women equally; women usually quit work in the middle to take care of their families. With a promise of a secure life post-retirement, women might feel more inclined towards staying in the offices, hence increasing the current female workforce participation.

Another indirect way in which women will be at an advantage this fiscal year will be in terms of safety measures. With the transportation allowance, which is currently Rs.800 per month, being increased to Rs.1, 600 per month, women can have better options to travel, hence giving them more independence in terms of travelling. Along with this, the government has promised to allocate Rs. 1000 crore to the Nirbhaya Fund, which is focused at enhancing the safety and the security of women in the country.

We hope that all of these initiatives are implemented without a glitch and are successful in providing Indian women their due share of opportunity in the working sector.

The Indian Express>