Chandigarh – In a major announcement aimed at strengthening women’s economic participation and entrepreneurship, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini declared that industries providing employment opportunities to women in the state will receive additional subsidies from the government. The announcement was made while addressing a state-level celebration of International Women’s Day in Sirsa, where the Chief Minister also launched the Haryana chapter of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform and released financial assistance worth hundreds of crores under multiple welfare schemes for women across the state.
During the event, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Haryana chapter of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform, describing it as a significant initiative designed to strengthen women-led startups and entrepreneurial ventures in the state. He also transferred the fifth installment of ₹200.77 crore under the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. Alongside this, ₹1,338.61 crore was disbursed under various social security pension schemes, while ₹20.21 crore was transferred to eligible women under the Har Ghar Har Grihini Yojana. In addition to these transfers, seed funding cheques worth ₹3 crore were distributed to startups, with a focus on encouraging women entrepreneurs and strengthening innovation-led businesses in the state.
Congratulating women on International Women’s Day, the Chief Minister said the occasion holds special significance for Haryana as the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, which was launched from the historic city of Panipat, has completed eleven years. He noted that the initiative has played a transformative role in improving gender awareness and strengthening the position of girls in society. According to the Chief Minister, Haryana’s sex ratio, which stood at 871 in 2014, has now improved to 923, demonstrating the success of collective efforts toward promoting gender equality and ensuring better opportunities for daughters in the state.
Highlighting the role of the newly launched Women Entrepreneurship Platform, Saini said it would serve as a powerful mechanism to promote women-led innovation and increase the participation of women in the startup ecosystem. He expressed confidence that the platform would help raise the proportion of women-led startups to nearly 61 percent in the state. At the ceremony, financial support cheques were distributed to 16 women entrepreneurs, while an additional ₹3 crore fund was approved to assist women in starting or expanding their businesses. He emphasized that the initiative would help women understand emerging technologies, modern market practices, and marketing strategies, enabling them to successfully establish and scale their enterprises.
The Chief Minister further announced that the state budget includes a provision of ₹5 crore to establish a Workplace Safety Fund aimed at ensuring safer work environments for women. Alongside this, the government will create a POSH cell and launch a Vishakha Portal to strengthen the implementation of workplace safety laws and provide a structured platform for addressing workplace harassment issues. He encouraged women across Haryana to actively join the entrepreneurship platform and take advantage of the opportunities created by the government.
Saini also acknowledged the leadership of Narendra Modi, stating that the national environment regarding women’s empowerment has significantly improved over the past decade. He noted that several initiatives launched under the Prime Minister’s leadership have expanded opportunities and respect for women in society, including programs that promoted girls’ education, eliminated hardships related to traditional cooking fuel, improved sanitation facilities, and strengthened women’s participation in governance through legislation ensuring 33 percent representation in legislative bodies.
The Chief Minister further informed that the state government has introduced a 20 percent reservation for women from self-help groups in the allotment policy of VITA milk booths. Additionally, the government plans to establish modern village markets, known as Gram Haats, in every block to help women self-help groups market their products effectively. He also mentioned that 33 percent of ration depots are already being allocated to women in the state to strengthen their economic independence and participation in local economic networks.
In another major initiative, the government has planned to establish ten modern Matri Shakti Industrial Crèche Networks in industrial areas to support working mothers. Recently, the state government increased the honorarium for crèche workers from ₹3,000 to ₹15,000 per month, which the Chief Minister said is among the highest such payments in the country.
Discussing broader economic empowerment initiatives, Saini said the Lakhpati Didi Yojana announced earlier has already enabled more than 1.06 lakh women in Haryana to achieve financial independence. The government now aims to add three lakh more women to this category in the financial year 2026–27. Under the Namo Drone Didi Yojana, around 5,000 women from 500 self-help groups in Haryana are being provided free training to operate drones, opening new avenues in agriculture and technology-driven services.
The Chief Minister also noted that cultural empowerment remains a priority for the government, with women cultural centres being established across the state. So far, 500 such centres have been opened to encourage women’s participation in cultural and community activities. He highlighted several ongoing schemes for women and children including Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, the Chief Minister’s maternity assistance scheme, the Mukhyamantri Doodh Uphaar Yojana, the Women and Adolescent Honour Scheme, and Mission Indradhanush, emphasizing that the government is committed to improving maternal and child health outcomes.
Addressing security concerns, the Chief Minister announced that the state government will establish an Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) with provisions to include women commandos in the force. In addition, the number of buses dedicated exclusively to women passengers and students will be increased from 273 to 500, further improving safety and mobility for women across the state.
Saini also called upon women to actively participate in the fight against drug abuse and urged them to report drug trafficking through the government’s dedicated portal, assuring that the identity of informants would remain confidential.
Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Shruti Choudhry also extended greetings on International Women’s Day and emphasized that the empowerment of women is essential for the empowerment of society. She highlighted that initiatives such as One Stop Centres, women helplines, and the anemia-free campaign are strengthening support systems and ensuring better health and protection for women across the state.