The Self Help Entrepreneur- Livelihoods and Enterprise Application for Prosperity and Sustainability (SHE -LEAPS) was launched on 29th June 2026 at Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan, in New Delhi. The application, introduced in the context of expanding the Lakhpati Didi target from 3 to 6 crore, aims to strengthen the rural women enterprises associated with Self-Help Groups.
The National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) was introduced in 1995 as one of the original components of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). NSAP came into effect on 15 August 1995 in pursuance of Article 41 of the Constitution, which directs the State to provide public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, disablement and other situations of undeserved want, within the limits of its economic capacity and development.
The Assistance to Deserted Indian Women Scheme was introduced to address the distress faced by Indian women abandoned by Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or foreign spouses. It is a welfare measure that supports women through local Indian community organisations, women’s groups, and NGOs empanelled with Indian Missions, supplemented by limited government funding (Ministry of External Affairs, 2011). Many such women encountered financial hardship, lack of legal support, and difficulties in accessing counselling or filing cases for maintenance, alimony, or divorce in foreign jurisdictions (Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, 2014).
Historically, Uttar Pradesh has faced persistent gender disparities, including low female literacy, child marriage and gender discrimination affecting girls. Census 2011 recorded a child sex ratio of only 902 girls per 1,000 boys. NFHS 4 (National Family Health Survey, 2014-15) also reported that 21.1 percent of women aged 20 to 24 were married before the age of 18, while only 32.9 percent had completed ten or more years of schooling.
Tamil Nadu has a long tradition of universal welfare measures, from subsidised food and health care to free electricity and education support. Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam extends this legacy by placing a regular cash income directly in women’s hands. Announced as part of the DMK’s “seven guarantees” (Business Standard, 2024) before the 2021 Assembly elections and formally launched on 15 September 2023 (the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai), the scheme promises ₹1,000 per month to eligible women heads of households (Government of Tamil Nadu Official portal. https://kmut.tn.gov.in/; The Hindu, 2023).
Punjab's female demographic profile presents a mixed picture of progress and persistent challenges. The state's sex ratio stands at 895 females per 1,000 males, below the national average of 940, while female literacy has improved to approximately 75% (Census 2011; recent NFHS-5 estimates). More critically, female labour force participation remains low at around 22–24%, reflecting limited economic opportunities and strong social norms restricting women's work outside the home (Periodic Labour Force Survey, 2024–25).
Social justice in India extends beyond income support to addressing the educational, economic and social disadvantages faced by historically marginalised and vulnerable communities. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) implements a wide range of schemes covering Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Economically Backward Classes (EBCs), De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), senior citizens, transgender persons, sanitation workers, persons affected by substance abuse and other disadvantaged groups. The Ministry's Annual Report 2025–26 lists major interventions across education, economic empowerment, skill development, rehabilitation, social protection and enforcement of protective legislation (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 2026).