PM Modi addresses 30th National Commission for Women Foundation Day programme

Published By : Admin | January 31, 2022 | 16:30 IST
“All the women's commissions of the country will have to increase their scope and give a new direction to the women of their states”
“AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign is linking the abilities of women with the development of the country”
“In more than 60 thousand startups that have emerged after 2016, 45 percent have at least one woman director”
“Since 2015, 185 women have been honoured with Padma Awards. This year 34 women figured among the awardees in different categories, This is a record”
“Today India is among the countries with provision of maximum maternity leave” “Whenever any government does not prioritise women safety, women have ensured their departure from power”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed 30th National Commission for Women Foundation Day programme today via video conference. The theme of the programme ‘She The Change Maker’ is aimed at celebrating the achievements of women in different fields. The State Commissions for Women, Department of Women and Child Development in State Governments, University and College teaching faculty and students, voluntary organisations, women entrepreneurs and business associations were present. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smt Smriti Zubin Irani; Ministers of State Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai and Smt Darshana Jardosh; Chairperson, National Commission for Women Ms. Rekha Sharma were among those present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister greeted on the 30th Foundation Day of the National Commission for Women. “The milestone of 30 years, whether in the life of an individual or of an organization, is very important. This is the time for new responsibilities and for moving forward with new energy”, he said.

The Prime Minister remarked that today, in changing India, the role of women is continuously expanding. Therefore, he said, the expansion of the role of the National Commission for Women is also the need of the hour. All the women's commissions of the country will also have to increase their scope and give a new direction to the women of their states.

The Prime Minister noted that for centuries, India's strength has been the small local industries or the MSMEs. In these industries, women have the same role as men. The Prime Minister said that the old thinking had restricted women and their skills to domestic work. It is necessary to change this old thinking in order to advance the economy of the country. Make in India is doing this today. AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign is linking the ability of women with the development of the country, he said.This change is visible as about 70 per cent beneficiaries of Mudra Yojna are women. The country has seen a three-fold increase in the number of women self-help groups in the last 6-7 years. Similarly, in more than 60 thousand startups that have emerged after 2016, 45 percent have at least one woman director.

The Prime Minister said the participation of women in the growth cycle of new India is increasing relentlessly. Women's Commissions should work to promote and give maximum recognition to this role of women in the entrepreneurship of the society. The Prime Minister informed that since 2015 185 women have been honoured with Padma Awards. This year too, 34 women figured among the awardees in different categories. This is a record as this many awards to women are unprecedented, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister said in the last 7 years, the policies of the country have become more sensitive towards women. Today India is among the countries with provision of maximum maternity leave. Marriage at an early age does not hinder the education and career of daughters so the age of marriage of daughters is being attempted to be raised to 21 years.

The Prime Minister also talked about the historical distance of rural women from empowerment. He listed the steps such as 9 crore gas connections and toilets. Pucca houses of PM Awaas Yojna in the name of women of the house, support during pregnancy, Jan Dhan accounts, that make these women the face of changing India and women empowerment.

The Prime Minister said when women make a resolution, they only set the direction of that. That is why whenever a government does not prioritise women safety, women have ensured their departure from power. Shri Modi stressed that the government is working with a policy of zero tolerance for crime against women. There are strict laws in this regard including capital punishment for heinous cases of rape. There are fast track courts and steps like more women help desks in police stations, 24 hour helplines, portal to deal with cyber crimes are being taken.

Click here to read full text speech

Explore More
Today, the entire country and entire world is filled with the spirit of Bhagwan Shri Ram: PM Modi at Dhwajarohan Utsav in Ayodhya

Popular Speeches

Today, the entire country and entire world is filled with the spirit of Bhagwan Shri Ram: PM Modi at Dhwajarohan Utsav in Ayodhya
7 hyper local foods that PM Modi made popular via speeches, social media and Mann ki Baat

Media Coverage

7 hyper local foods that PM Modi made popular via speeches, social media and Mann ki Baat
NM on the go

Nm on the go

Always be the first to hear from the PM. Get the App Now!
...
Fulfilling public aspirations is the core objective of this budget and the resolution of this government: PM Modi
March 09, 2026
India is working today on a vision of preventive and holistic health: PM
In recent years, the country’s health infrastructure has strengthened, with medical colleges opening in hundreds of districts and health services reaching every village through Ayushman Bharat and Arogya Mandirs: PM
Our Yoga and Ayurveda are becoming popular across the entire world: PM
We must accelerate linking our education system with the real-world economy and increase our focus on AI, automation, digital economy and design-driven manufacturing: PM
India is moving towards an innovation-driven economy: PM
As we prepare for futuristic technologies today; it is crucial that no daughter is held back due to a lack of opportunities: PM
In recent years, sports have been seen as a key pillar of national development; initiatives like Khelo India have energised the sports ecosystem and sports infrastructure is being strengthened nationwide: PM

Friends,

In this series of post-budget webinars, today marks the fourth and most significant one. Fulfilling aspirations of people is not merely a subject of discussion-it is the core objective of this budget and the firm resolve of this government. Education, Skill, Health, Tourism, Sports, and Culture are fundamental sectors that serve as the major means of fulfilling these aspirations. Therefore, in this webinar, we are deliberating on these crucial dimensions. For the implementation of budget announcements, the thoughts and suggestions of all experts, policymakers, scholars, entrepreneurs, and my young companions present here are extremely important. I warmly welcome and greet you all in this fourth session of the budget webinar.

Friends,

India today is working on a vast vision for preventive and holistic health. In recent years, the country’s health infrastructure has been strengthened, with hundreds of new medical colleges opening across districts. Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme and wellness centers, healthcare services have expanded to villages nationwide. Our yoga and Ayurveda are gaining popularity across the world. You will certainly discuss various aspects of this, but I would like to highlight one important subject-the care economy. In the coming decade, the number of senior citizens in the country will rise rapidly. Moreover, even today, many countries across the world face a huge demand for caregivers. Therefore, in the health sector, new skill-based employment opportunities are emerging for millions of youth. I urge the health sector experts present in this webinar to suggest new training models and partnerships so that the training ecosystem in the country can be further strengthened.

Friends,

Closely related to this is the subject of telemedicine. Today, a large number of people in remote areas are benefiting from it, and trust in it is steadily growing. However, I believe there is still a great need to increase awareness and ease of access in this area.

Friends,

Over the past decade, a major transformation has taken place in the mindset of the country. Today, beyond the boundaries of villages, towns, and cities, every young Indian wants to do something new, driven by the spirit to achieve. This new mindset of the new generation is the nation’s greatest strength, its most valuable capital for a bright future. To capitalize on this, we must continuously modernize and upgrade our education system. The new education policy has laid the necessary foundation for this. Now, it is essential that our curriculum remains updated according to market needs! We must accelerate the process of linking our education system with the real-world economy. We need to place greater focus on subjects like AI and automation, digital economy, and design-driven manufacturing.

Friends,

The country is consistently working to connect education with employment and enterprise. New models like university townships reflect this approach. Today, India is promoting the A.V.G.C. sector-Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics. India is moving towards an innovation-driven economy. Many academicians and academic institutions are connected to this webinar today. I urge you to deliberate on developing your campuses as centers of industry collaboration and research-driven learning. This will provide students with real-world exposure and strengthen the skill ecosystem.

Friends,

A very important subject is STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It is a matter of great pride that the number of daughters showing interest in STEM subjects is steadily increasing in our country. As we prepare for futuristic technologies, it is crucial that no daughter is held back due to lack of opportunities. In this webinar, you must discuss this direction. We need to place greater emphasis on increasing women’s participation. We must build a research ecosystem where young researchers have full opportunities to experiment and work on new ideas.

Friends,

Youth power becomes national power only when it is healthy, disciplined, and full of self-confidence. That is why, in recent years, sports have been seen as an important stream of national development. Initiatives like Khelo India have infused new energy into the sports ecosystem of the country. Sports infrastructure is being strengthened across the nation. In this webinar, you must deliberate on some key questions: How can talent be identified more accurately even from small towns and villages? How can structured financial support for thousands of athletes be improved? And thirdly, how can our sports bodies be made more professional? In the coming years, the Commonwealth Games will be held in India, and the country is striving to host the Olympics. In such a scenario, we must identify young athletes at an early age and nurture them, only then will India be able to raise its flag high in international competitions.

Friends,

Tourism and culture play a major role in creating new employment opportunities. When tourism grows in a place, the branding of that location or city also increases. This accelerates the overall development of that city. India has no shortage of historical sites. But for a long time, tourism remained confined to a few select destinations. Now, we are focusing on developing tourist destinations across every corner of the country.

Friends,

In this webinar, you must discuss a holistic approach to strengthening India’s tourism ecosystem. Your suggestions on trained guides, hospitality skills, digital connectivity, community participation, cleanliness, tourism, and related subjects will be very important.

Friends,

When institutions, industry, and academia work together, the pace of transformation accelerates. I am confident that this series of post-budget webinars will provide concrete direction for the future. Such efforts will further strengthen the foundation of a developed India. And friends, it is a very pleasant experience that due to the tradition of webinars, after the budget and especially during implementation, I have been told that this year, lakhs of people connected to these subjects-experts, beneficiaries, and those involved in the system-have actively participated in the webinars. Our officials have informed me that excellent and practical suggestions are coming in. This means not only solutions to problems but also new energy and new momentum to move forward with confidence. I say this is a very delightful experience of the webinars. All those who participated in these webinars are worthy of appreciation and gratitude. Once again, I extend my best wishes and heartfelt thanks to all of you.

Namaskar!