New Delhi, March 12 : Since 2014, the empowerment of women has been one of the principal objectives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration. Through manifold initiatives, rural women have been enabled to engage in the refinement of their skills, thereby augmenting their ability to support their families. These efforts are reflected in the statistics, which illustrate the burgeoning class of aspirational women within rural India.

The increasing participation of women in training programmes and mobilisation through self-help groups has allowed them to assume leadership within their families and communities, fostering a higher standard of living. The data for the period spanning 2020 to 2025 attests to the remarkable progress achieved in the training and settlement of rural women.

In 2020, of the 2.74 lakh women who underwent training, 74 per cent, or 2.02 lakh, successfully secured settlement. Similarly, in 2021, of the 2.07 lakh women trained, 67 per cent, or 1.39 lakh, were settled. The trend continued in 2022 when 2.57 lakh women received training, of whom 83 per cent, or 2.12 lakh, found settlement. By 2023, the government trained 3.32 lakh women, achieving a settlement rate of 82 per cent, or 2.32 lakh. In 2024, 3.60 lakh women were trained, with 81 per cent, or 2.90 lakh, settled.

Lastly, in 2025, out of 3.83 lakh women trained, 65 per cent, or 2.50 lakh, achieved settlement. The Rural Self-Employment Training Institute (RSETI), an innovative scheme, represents a tripartite partnership among sponsoring banks, the Ministry of Rural Development of the Government of India, and state governments. The scheme employs a dual approach -- comprising short-term training complemented by prolonged handholding support.

At present, the programme extends across 588 districts in 33 states and union territories of India, implemented through 602 RSETIs managed by 25 prominent banks, including public, private, and rural banks. Further, under the aegis of this scheme, administrative approval has been granted for the establishment of 44 additional RSETIs in newly constituted districts.

Prime Minister Modi has ardently championed equality for rural women, striving to afford them rights, access to resources, and opportunities commensurate with those of men in rural regions. Beyond equality, he has emphasised the concept of equity --recognising and addressing the particular challenges that rural women encounter, such as entrenched social norms and limited access to education and healthcare.

Equity, in this context, entails remedying disparities in land ownership, thereby ensuring rural women are equipped with the requisite support to attain parity with men within their communities. It aspires to grant every individual an equitable chance of success, tailored to their unique circumstances.

Likewise, the data eloquently narrates the transformative strides made by the Central Government, under the stewardship of Prime Minister Modi, in advancing equality and equity among rural women in India. Under the auspices of the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojana (DDU-GKY), the figures reveal a remarkable progression.

In 2020, of the total 2.47 lakh individuals trained, 51 per cent, or 1.27 lakh, were women. The following year, 2021, saw 0.38 lakh individuals trained, of whom 53 per cent, or 0.20 lakh, were women. By 2022, the total number of trainees rose to 0.97 lakh, with women constituting 60 per cent, or 0.58 lakh, of this figure. The upward trajectory continued in 2023 when 2.31 lakh individuals were trained, and women accounted for 58 per cent, or 1.34 lakh. In 2024, of the 2 lakh trainees, 61 per cent, or 1.22 lakh, were women. Finally, in 2025, of the 0.69 lakh individuals trained, 62 per cent, or 0.43 lakh, were women.

Notably, rural women constitute approximately 22 per cent of the global population.

/IANS