Everyone knows who has issues with increasing Marriage age for women to 21: PM takes a dig at Oppn

Prayagraj (UP), Dec 21: In a bid to woo women voters ahead of the 2022 elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday at a programme transferred Rs 1,000 crore to bank accounts of self help groups to benefit around 16 lakh women.

The amount was transferred under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM). The mission aims to provide women, especially those at the grassroots, with necessary skills, incentives and resources.

Modi also released over Rs 20 crore to more than 1 lakh beneficiaries under the 'Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Scheme', which provides conditional cash transfer to a girl child at different stages of her life. The total remittance is Rs 15,000 per beneficiary. The prime minister also laid the foundation stone of 202 supplementary nutrition manufacturing units in 43 districts. These units are being funded by SHGs and will be constructed at a cost of around Rs 1 crore a unit.

Addressing public at the launch of 'Kanya Sumangala Yojana, PM Modi said,"The state has worked for women empowerment. This scheme will benefit the daughters of state".

"Most of the beneficiaries are those girls who didn't even have accounts until some time ago. But today they have the power of digital banking. Now daughters of UP have decided that they won't let the previous govts come back to power," PM Modi added.

He said that his government has taken several steps for benefitting women.

"We abolished the practice of triple talaq for Muslim sisters. We set up over 700 fast track courts for rape cases and we also removed the ban on women working in mining sector," he added.

PM Modi also announced the provision of 6 month maternity leaves for women so that they are able to nurse their newborns without the fears of losing their jobs.

On the decision to increase the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 years to 21 years, PM said, "Union Cabinet has taken a decision to increase the age of marriage of women from 18 years to 21 years. We're making efforts to make this happen as the women want that they should get time to pursue their studies, to get equal opportunities. But some are troubled by this decision."