Empowering women, SCs and STs
As part of inclusionary growth, for rural women, the manifesto included the promotion of self help- groups (SHGs). Research shows that SHGs have helped rural women in several ways, particularly by generating economic activities, reducing their dependence on moneylenders, and empowering rural women. To quote:
Over the next five years, the Indian National Congress will endeavour to ensure that at least half of the country’s rural women population will be enrolled as members of self-help groups linked with banks and that they will get loans from banks at moderate interest rates. The Indian National Congress also proposes to reserve one-third of all central government jobs for women. |
In the same way, it was declared that “The Indian National Congress believes that, in addition to education, business development programmes are needed on a larger-scale for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and women. Preferential policies will be adopted in government contracts to stimulate entrepreneurial activities amongst these groups.” “Social security schemes for occupations like weavers, fishermen and fisherwomen, toddy tappers, leather workers, plantation labour, construction labour, mine workers and beedi workers will be expanded.”
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