The Five Year Plans launched by the Government have paid due attention to enable Indian women to attain greater economic participation. In some of the areas such as factories, offices, mining, clerical posts, teaching , nursing, banking, tea and coffee plantations etc. women employees are found in high number. there are few of the legislation have also been undertaken to protect the economic interests of the employed women such as Minimum Wages Act 1948, Equal Wages Act 1976, the Factories Amendment Act, 1976, etc. Following are the programs that have been initiated by the Indian Government in order to provide economic empowerment. 1.Employment and Training of Women : The Programme of Support to Training-cum-Employment for Women (STEP) was launched in 1987 to strengthen and improve the skills for employment opportunities for women below poverty line in traditional sector of agriculture, small scale industries, animal husbandry, handlooms, handicrafts, cottage and village induestries, sericulture etc. where women are employed on a large scale. 2. The scheme of Condensed Courses of Education and Vocational Training (CCE&VT) : It started in 1958 for adult women implemented by the Central Social Welfare Board. It aims at providing new vistas of employment through continuing education and vocational training to women and girls, particularly to the drop-outs. 3. Women's National Training Institute : it was started in 1977 and its regional units in places such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Hissar, Calcutta were also opened, The Regional Training Institute at Bangalore gives "basic" and also modern training to about 1426 girls and part-time training to about 141 girls every year. 4. Socio-Economic Programme : Under this programme , the Central Social Welfare Board gives financial assistance to the voluntary organizations for undertaking a wide variety of income generating activities, which inculde the production of central components in ancillaries units, handlooms, handicrafts, agro based activities such as fishery, animal husbandry, and self employment ventures like vegetables or fish-vending etc. 5. The Dairy Scheme : It focuses exclusively on women's organizations having at least 20 women members, including Mahila Mandals, Indira Mahila Kendras, Self Help Groups and organizations already assisted under STEP scheme. The benefits of the scheme are meant for women whose families are below the poverty line. 6. Mahila Samriddhi Yojna : This scheme was launched on 2nd Oct. 1993, through a network of 1.32 lakh rural Post Offices to promote thrift among rural women and to empower then with greater control over their household sources. 7. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh : The national credit fund for women called The Rashtriya Mahila Kosh was set up in 1992-93 with an objective of meeting the credit needs of poor women, particularly in the informal sector. 8. Working Women's Hostels : They have been established in towns and cities mainly to provide boarding and lodging facilities to rural women who move on to urban centres obtain jobs. Governmental and private agencies are taking initiative in opening such hostels. In some hostels day-care centres for children of these women are also attached. 9. The National Committee for Women Welfare : It is instituted for framing appropriate policies for women welfare to suit to the changing needs of time.
