'No culprit will be spared,' says Modi amid rape-murder protests
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to crack down on crimes against women.
"The security of women is very important for our country. I will once again tell every state government that crimes against women are unforgivable. No matter who the culprit is, they should not be spared," he said.
PM Modi was addressing a crowd at the 'Lakhpati Didi Sammelan' in Jalgaon, Maharashtra.
Call to action
PM Modi urges state governments to prioritize women's safety
The statement comes in the wake of nationwide protests following the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
PM Modi also highlighted his government's efforts to strengthen laws and ensure severe punishment for those guilty of crimes against women.
"Earlier there used to be complaints that FIRs were not registered on time, there was no hearing, cases were delayed. We have removed many such obstacles in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita," he said.
Empowerment initiatives
PM Modi highlights government's initiatives for women's empowerment
He also claimed that more has been done for women in the past decade than by any previous administration.
"You must have heard that India is going to become the third-largest economy...Women play a huge role in it. However, it wasn't the case a couple of years ago," he said.
After the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government came to power, ₹9 lakh crore has been given to women self-help groups, compared to less than ₹25,000 crore till 2014, he added.
Loans
Women couldn't take loans earlier: Modi
He further claimed that previously, crores of women in the country had no property in their names.
They were also unable to obtain a loan, and as a result, they were unable to do any small work.
"That is why this brother, son of yours took a vow. I decided that no matter what happens, I will reduce every difficulty faced by...mothers, sisters and daughters...Therefore, the Modi government took decisions one after another in the interest of women," he said.
Lakhpati Didis
What is lakhpati initiative
A Lakhpati Didi is a self-help group member with an annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh. This income is calculated for at least four agricultural seasons and/or business cycles, with an average monthly income surpassing ₹10,000, to ensure sustainability.
According to the government, the Lakhpati initiative promotes diverse livelihood activities by ensuring collaboration across all government departments and ministries, the private sector, and market players. The strategy calls for targeted planning, implementation, and monitoring at all levels.