In 2024, the rural development ministry of India put a strong emphasis on women empowerment, particularly through self-help groups (SHGs). Over 10 crore rural households were mobilized into nearly 91 lakh SHGs, with a large number of women benefiting from various rural development schemes. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has been a major contributor to women's employment, with over 6.7 crore women workers provided employment in the current financial year.

The ministry's focus also extended to housing with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), under which all new houses built in the past two years were either in the name of women or joint ownership between men and women. Aiming for economic empowerment, the government is linking these women beneficiaries with the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), which supports them in self-help groups to increase their income.

The NRLM’s 'Lakhpati Didi' initiative has played a vital role in helping women earn an annual income of Rs. 1 lakh. As of 2024, over 1.15 crore women have become 'Lakhpati Didis.' PMAY-G has also converged with several other schemes like Ujjwala Yojana for cooking gas, Jal Jeevan Mission for water connections, and Swachh Bharat Mission for toilet construction.

Additionally, PMAY-G has seen the construction of 2.67 crore houses, with another 35 lakh houses set to be completed, ensuring the government's target of 2.95 crore houses is met. Through these efforts, rural women’s participation in the labor force has increased, their incomes have grown by 19%, and access to social schemes has improved significantly.