Chouhan Launches Nayi Chetna 4.0 to Boost Rural Women’s Empowerment

• Nayi Chetna 4.0 launched to boost gender equality and rural women’s empowerment.
• Inter-ministerial advisory and tripartite MoU unveiled for Violence-Free Village initiative.
• Campaign to run nationwide till 23 December under DAY-NRLM.
• Government highlights success of over 2 crore SHG women becoming Lakhpati Didis.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 25th Nov: Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, launched Nayi Chetna 4.0—the National Campaign on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment—at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi on Tuesday. The event was attended by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi, Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, and Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan.

Chouhan reaffirmed the government’s resolve to ensure dignity, confidence, and prosperity for every woman, highlighting the growing network of Lakhpati Didis, now crossing two crore SHG members. He said the government is working consistently to expand opportunities and strengthen empowerment for rural women.

A major announcement at the event was the inter-ministerial joint advisory involving 11 key Ministries and Departments. The advisory reflects a coordinated national approach to eliminate gender-based discrimination and violence. Ministries of Women and Child Development, Home Affairs, Health, Social Justice, Panchayati Raj, Agriculture, MSME, Youth Affairs and Sports, School Education, Information & Broadcasting, and the Department of Justice are part of the initiative.

Smt. Annapurna Devi underlined that the newly announced Inter-Ministerial Tripartite MoU—signed by the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Law & Justice, and Rural Development—will accelerate the Violence-Free Village initiative and support the creation of safer and more equitable rural communities.

Organised under DAY-NRLM, the month-long campaign will run across all States and Union Territories until 23 December 2025. With the support of 10 crore rural women mobilised through SHGs, the initiative aims to build a powerful grassroots movement.

Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani noted that SHGs have transformed Nayi Chetna into a strong community-driven platform that empowers women to seek support and raise long-suppressed issues. Shri Kamlesh Paswan emphasised education’s role in breaking gender barriers and driving social change.

Two gender champions from Bihar and Rajasthan shared inspiring stories of challenging discrimination and leading change in their communities.

Nayi Chetna 4.0 aims to enhance safety, dignity, and economic empowerment for women in rural India. The campaign focuses on safe mobility, strengthening access to credit and skills, addressing unpaid care work, and promoting gender-responsive policies to ensure women’s voices influence decision-making at all levels.

The event saw participation from major Ministries, State Rural Livelihoods Missions, SHG members, Anganwadi workers, and civil society organisations.