Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
The budget handed down by woman Finance Minister, in the history of India, has definitely given a reason to the womankind to applause as to encourage and facilitate role of women as an initiative under 'Nari tu Narayani' (title of a Gujrati book by Bhandev). The lady FM has referred Swami Vivekananda letter 'there is no chance for the welfare of a world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing'. There appears shift from woman-centric-policy making to woman-led initiatives and movements. The mention in the budget of this initiative is limited to formation of a committee with government and private stakeholders for moving forward on gender budgeting, the expansion of Woman 'Self Help Groups' (An Indian Microfinance Model introduced in 1992 by NABARD and RBI) interest subvention program to all districts, overdraft of Rs 5000 to be allowed for every verified woman SHG member having a Jan Dhan Bank Account (We come across reply of MoS for finance in 2018, available on search engine, that 20% of the Jan Dhan Bank Accounts are lying inactive and 1.9% have been closed. Till February 2018, about 59 lakh Jan Dhan accounts have been closed since the launch of the scheme. As there is an increase in the proportion of adults having bank accounts, those who have an account in financial institution have made no withdrawals or deposits in the past one year. Financial inclusion is just not about opening bank accounts but also using these accounts for providing access to formal credit) and one woman per SHG to be eligible for a loan up to Rs one lakh under MUDRA scheme. If we visit the various parameters such as: economic, political, social, health status and most important the woman safety meant for woman empowerment, the 'Nari tu Narayani' can be helpful to poor woman folk for slight improvement in their economic status but the other important fields do not find mention in the budget.
Women's empowerment is the process in which women elaborate and recreate what it is that they can be, do, and accomplish in a circumstance that they previously were denied. Empowerment can be defined in many ways; however, when talking about women's empowerment, it means accepting and allowing them who are on the outside of the decision-making process into it. This puts a strong emphasis on participation in political structures and formal decision-making and, in the economic sphere, on the ability to obtain an income that enables participation in economic decision-making. The empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of their political, social, economic and health status is a highly important end in itself. Women's economic empowerment refers to the ability for women to enjoy their right to control and benefit from the resources, assets, income and their own time, as well as the ability to manage risk and improve their economic status and well being. Women's own knowledge, abilities and coping mechanisms often go unrecognized.
On empowerment of woman in decision-making process, we find not even a passing reference in the budget. This takes us to hollow slogan of BJP to empower woman when it has just fielded only 53 woman contestants one less than congress who have fielded 54 woman candidates. We see only 78 woman MPs in 17th Lok Sabha, when 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament (that means at least 178 MPs) and state assemblies was promised in the BJP's manifesto for 2014 Lok Sabha election. Women's reservation bill (108th Constitution Amendment Bill) carried no importance for Modi government even when BJP-led NDA had a brute majority in the 16th Lok Sabha. The Modi government had surprised many by hastily introducing the poor upper caste quota bill in the Lok Sabha on the last day of the last winter session (eyeing on the upper caste votes) and ensuring its passage the same day.
Women in India have served at several top posts in the Indian government, including that of the President of United Nations General Assembly, Indian woman judge of supreme Court and of a High Court, Indian Police services, President of India as Prime Minister as Chief Minister, Speaker of Lok Sabha, Foreign Minister, Defence Minister as well as Director General of Police of a Paramilitary Force as DG, 'Border Security Force'. However, women in India continue to face numerous problems such as sexual assault, gender inequality and dowry. Some international rating agencies too had not projected the India as safe zone for woman, if we speak of 'Thomson Reuter' that has leveled India as most dangerous country for women with sexual violence rife in the year 2018. Eyes were pinned down on the second tenure of Modi-led government but budget speech of a female FM did not even give a passing reference about this sordid affair of the woman folk. Establishing mechanisms for women's equal participation and equitable representation at all levels of the political process and public life in each community and society and enabling women to articulate their concerns and needs would have given a sigh of relief but nothing heard on this aspect. A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform but budget failed to keep any provision to safe guard this circle. Government should take measures to promote the fulfillment of women's potential through education, skills development and the eradication of illiteracy. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to take part in the Government of his/her country. The empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of women's social, economic and political status is essential for the achievement of both transparent and accountable government and administration and sustainable development in all areas of life. Women throughout history have shared great knowledge and wise thoughts with a multitude of audiences. Inspiring remarks derive from women of all walks of life. Capacity-building efforts should pay particular attention to the needs of women in order to ensure that their skills and experience are fully used in decision-making at all levels. Now more than ever, women in business, entertainment and everything in between recognize the importance of lifting each other up to thrive in success.
Let us look in the perspective that when Indian women's true history shall have been written, her part in the up building of this nation will astound the world. The slogan 'Nari tu Narayani' quickly caught people's attention and many lauded it on Twitter. "Nari tu Narayani, this phrase stood out in your speech madamji," wrote an excited Twitter user. "Very inspiring words about women power from budget speech" another tweeted. 'This government wishes to encourage and facilitate the role of women', we hope the words of FM will transform to reality than just flashy slogan taken out from the books of various writers as 'Nari tu Narayani' from Gujrati book written by Bhandev. India should look forward to the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 1993 that has handed down that the full and equal participation of women in political, civil, economic, social and cultural life, at the national, regional and international levels, and the eradication of all forms of discrimination on grounds of sex are priority objectives of the international community. |
