India
In response to a question about patriarchy, Sitharaman cites the example of Indira Gandhi | India News – Times of India
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
During her interaction with CMS Business School students in Bengaluru on Saturday, Sitharaman wondered whether patriarchy stopped women from achieving what they wanted in India, and how Indira Gandhi made it as Prime Minister. She discussed various Centre-backed initiatives, including 1 crore internships for ‘unemployed youth’ aged 21 to 24 years.
Sitharaman focused on women empowerment and stated that patriarchy is a concept created by the Left. She encouraged women to be logical and confident, while recognizing the need for better facilitation for women.
Also read: Was Indira Gandhi assassinated to widen the divide between Hindus and Sikhs?
Discussing the innovation prospects, she highlighted the Modi government’s efforts to create a supportive environment for innovators. The minister emphasized that in addition to policy formulation, the government also ensures market accessibility for innovations.
She highlighted the MSME support system, noting that 40 percent of government procurement comes from this sector. “That is why today we have over 2 lakh startups in India and over 130 have become unicorns. The opportunity is huge but not fully utilized,” she said.
Regarding the transformation of digital banking, she explained how Jan Dhan Yojana created opportunities for common people. She highlighted India’s government-funded approach to digital networking and contrasted it with other countries’ private sector-led initiatives.
“India’s approach to spreading digital networks was funded by the government, while many other countries went through private players, resulting in some nominal costs somewhere. This also allows even micro-level users to access digital banking without having to pay for it.” Sitharaman said, adding that future growth will necessitate continuous technology updates.
She detailed SIDBI’s ‘Fund of Funds’ initiative, backed by government funding of Rs 10,000 crore, aimed at supporting small businesses and innovative ideas. She noted the participation of private equity, attracted by government concessions.
Also read: Dasa Padas united people in difficult times, says Nirmala
Regarding the new internship program, she asked for students’ help to connect the target group with the platform to enhance skill development for youth.
