Women, rural India and the Modi decade: Who benefited most?

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From LPG access to housing and financial inclusion, PM Modi's decade saw transformative welfare schemes targeting women and rural India. Flagship programs like Ujjwala, Jan Dhan, and Awas Yojana empowered millions, while new data shows over 170 million people lifted out of poverty. read more
Over the last 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has introduced a series of flagship schemes to empower rural India and women. From clean cooking fuel to housing and bank accounts for the unbanked, these social welfare programmes have not only addressed immediate needs but also contributed to lifting millions out of poverty.
Here are six key takeaways from the decade-long impact of the Modi government on rural India and women:
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Clean cooking fuel: Ujjwala Yojana transforms rural kitchens
Launched in 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was a major initiative to replace hazardous solid fuels like firewood and cow dung with clean LPG connections. By May 2024, over 10.3 crore LPG connections had been distributed to below-poverty-line women across the country.
The International Energy Agency notes that nearly 681 million people in India still relied on solid fuels for cooking at the program's inception, underscoring the health and environmental stakes. By enabling access to clean energy, PMUY has reduced household air pollution and the burden of disease on rural women while also freeing up time for education and income-generating activities.
A roof over every head: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-U) launched in 2015 to provide 'housing for all' in urban India. As of late 2023, the government had sanctioned over 1.18 crore houses, with more than 88 lakh already delivered to beneficiaries.
To meet the backlog, the government approved PMAY-U 2.0, targeting the construction of an additional 1 crore houses and extending the program deadline to December 2024. This ambitious push not only improved living conditions but also created jobs in construction and allied sectors further supporting economic upliftment in urban poor and rural migrant populations.
Financial inclusion at scale: Jan Dhan Yojana's massive reach
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has emerged as a cornerstone of India's financial inclusion strategy. From just 14.7 crore bank accounts in 2015, the number soared to over 53 crore by August 2024.
*According to the latest information, an estimated 36.14 crore RuPay cards have been issued, enabling digital and cashless transactions.
*Average deposits in PMJDY accounts grew over 4 times from 2015 to 2024.
*The number of zero-balance accounts halved from 8.52 crore to 4.26 crore.
*Nearly 100% village coverage with banking access within a 5 km radius.
*Jan Dhan laid the foundation for direct benefit transfers (DBTs) and accelerated financial empowerment especially for women and marginalised communities.
Millions lifted out of poverty
According to the World Bank's Spring 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief, India's extreme poverty has plummeted to 5.3% in 2022–23, down from 27.1% in 2011–12. That translates to over 269 million people moving out of poverty, with 172 million of them crossing the international $2.15/day poverty line.
Economic growth, expanded access to electricity, sanitation, housing and targeted welfare programs all contributed to this decline, making it one of the most major poverty reduction achievements globally in recent decades.
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Financial inclusion as a catalyst for grassroots growth
By extending access to affordable financial services, India has taken decisive steps toward bridging its credit and development gap. Financial inclusion empowers people, especially in rural areas with access to savings, credit, insurance and pensions. This not only encourages entrepreneurship among women and small businesses but also strengthens inclusive economic growth by spreading the benefits to the lowest-income groups.
Empowerment beyond welfare: A shift in economic agency
The decade under PM Modi has not only seen the distribution of benefits but a strategic pivot towards empowering people as economic actors. Women who once collected firewood now use clean fuel and send their children to school. Families that once lacked formal housing now own a pucca home. People once outside the banking net now participate in the digital economy.
As India prepares for the next phase of its development, the last 11 years under the Modi government offer a mixed but undeniably transformational picture, especially for women and rural populations. While challenges remain, the scale and impact of targeted welfare schemes, financial inclusion and poverty reduction have reshaped the socio-economic landscape for millions.