Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary told the Lok Sabha on Monday that the latest small savings scheme launched for women, the Mahila Samman Savings Certificate Scheme, has attracted 4.33 million depositors across the country. This plan was launched on April 1, 2023.
7,46,223 accounts were opened
Maharashtra has the highest number of depositors in this scheme, where 7,46,223 accounts have been opened. They are followed by Tamil Nadu (5,47,675 accounts), Odisha (4,16,989 accounts), Karnataka (2,93,007 accounts), Uttar Pradesh (2,69,532 accounts) and West Bengal (2,54,777 accounts).
Partial withdrawal option too
Under this scheme, an account can be opened in the name of the guardian of a woman or a minor girl, and a lump sum of up to Rs 2 lakh can be deposited in it. Along with this, there is also the option of partial withdrawal, and it offers a fixed interest rate of 7.5%.
Women also participate in rural areas.
The plan was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the February 2023 budget to mark India’s 75 years of independence. The scheme is scheduled to continue till March 31, 2025. The government has launched this scheme with the objective of increasing women’s financial independence and financial inclusion, which includes women even in rural areas.
