Women driving India's economic growth: PM Modi's I-Day speech
In his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that women are both driving and shaping India's economic growth.
He highlighted their achievements in startups, space, and defense—pointing to the first-ever female cadets graduating from the National Defence Academy as a proud milestone.
'Lakhpati Didis' and other initiatives
Modi talked about initiatives like self-help groups and the Namo Drone Didi scheme that aim to boost women's financial independence.
He shared that 20 million women have become "Lakhpati Didis" (women earning at least a lakh per year), with a goal of reaching 30 million soon.
Modi has made women's empowerment a regular theme in his speeches over the years, often celebrating "Nari Shakti"—the power of women—as key to India's future.