India is Transforming, and So Are Its Women: Finance Minister Sitharaman in the U.S. #IndiaFinance

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New Delhi– As the Indian government continues to roll out initiatives aimed at improving women’s safety, health, and financial independence, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declared that “India is changing, and so are its women,” during an address at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution in the United States.

Highlighting the government’s efforts to empower working women, Sitharaman noted that maternity leave has been extended to six months, a move championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Two years ago, we launched a program that raised interest rates to 7.5 percent on savings deposits made by women, encouraging them to keep their money in banks instead of as cash at home,” Sitharaman said during her keynote address, titled “Laying the Foundations for a Developed India: #ViksitBharat by 2047.”

The Finance Minister further emphasized that property registration in a woman’s name qualifies for tax concessions. Additionally, through the Poshan abhiyaan (Nutrition Mission), the government is meeting the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women.

“Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PM Housing Scheme), the registration of homes is done either in the woman’s name or jointly with a male family member,” Sitharaman added, underscoring the government’s commitment to bolstering women’s economic security.

Prior to her Stanford address, Sitharaman met with Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, and his team in San Francisco. Their discussions focused on India’s rapidly evolving digital infrastructure under the Digital India initiative, which has positioned the country as a global leader in digital adoption.

Kurian praised India’s advancements under its AI Mission and the broader vision outlined by Prime Minister Modi. He also highlighted the importance of connecting India to the world through expanded land and sea cable networks.

Kurian reiterated Google Cloud’s commitment to sustainability, stating that the company aims to operate entirely on carbon-free energy across its data centers and offices worldwide by 2030. He also shared insights into Google Cloud’s upcoming investment strategies for India.

Encouraging further collaboration, Sitharaman urged Google Cloud to explore local partnerships within India to strengthen territorial collaboration and to develop technology for both India and the world under the Make in India initiative. (Source: IANS)

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