Budget 2019: Rs 1330 crore provided for protection, empowerment of women

New Delhi: The Centre has provided an amount of Rs.1330 crore in the Interim Budget for protection and empowerment of women, entailing a hike of Rs. 174 crore over the revised estimates of 2018-19.

While presenting the Interim Budget 2019-20 in Parliament, Union Minister for Finance Piyush Goyal said: “More than 70 per cent of the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana are women who are getting affordable and collateral-free loans to start their own businesses.”

While touching upon the initiatives taken to empower women, Goyal highlighted the benefits of maternity leave of 26 weeks and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana for expecting mothers.

He also added that the government had set a goal to deliver 8 crores free LPG connections under the Ujjawala Yojana out of which 6 crore connections have already been given and the remaining will get free gas connections by next year, Goyal said.

“Ujjwala is a remarkable success story of our government programme, defined by a bold yet practical vision of responsible and compassionate leadership,” he told the House.

This is the final and last budget of the current NDA government since its tenure began in 2014.

[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]