Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a powerful address at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, emphasized that as India undergoes significant transformation, Indian women too are stepping into new roles of empowerment and independence. Speaking during her keynote session titled “Laying the foundations for a developed India #ViksitBharat by 2047”, the minister highlighted various government initiatives aimed at promoting women’s welfare, financial autonomy, and safety.
Sitharaman pointed out that maternity leave for working women has been extended to six months, a progressive step taken under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “This was done on the insistence of the Prime Minister himself,” she told the audience.
Further elaborating on efforts to encourage financial inclusion among women, she mentioned a scheme launched two years ago, which offers a 7.5 per cent interest rate on deposits made by women. The goal, she noted, was to incentivize women to deposit savings in banks instead of keeping money as idle cash at home.
In her speech, Sitharaman also touched upon the broader framework of women-centric reforms. She explained that the government offers tax concessions on properties registered in women’s names, and that the Poshan Scheme is addressing the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women. “Under PM Awas Yojana, registration of pucca houses is mandated either in the woman’s name or jointly with a male family member,” she added.
Highlighting the growing synergy between India and global technology giants, the Finance Minister also shared insights from her earlier meeting in San Francisco with Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, and his leadership team. Their discussions focused on the significant strides India has made in digital infrastructure through the Digital India initiative, which is positioning the country as a global digital leader.
Kurian praised India’s ongoing AI initiatives and its dynamic digital transformation under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. He emphasized the need to connect India to global networks through expanded land and submarine cable systems. Kurian also reaffirmed Google Cloud’s commitment to sustainability, stating the company’s goal to operate all its data centres and offices on carbon-free energy by 2030.
Furthermore, he outlined Google Cloud’s forthcoming investment plans for India, reflecting the growing international interest in India’s digital economy. FM Sitharaman urged Google Cloud to strengthen local partnerships and explore deeper territorial collaboration as part of the broader ‘Make in India’ campaign. She emphasized that such efforts would not only support India’s technological ambitions but also contribute to global digital innovation.
