Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that India must methodically prepare for shifts in global geopolitics, warning that international alliances can be fluid and unpredictable over time. Highlighting the need to constantly calibrate the nation's strategy, Vaishnaw explained that India is planning ahead with targeted goals spanning from three to twenty-five years.
He stressed the importance of identifying factors that make domestic production and the broader economy vulnerable to foreign policies and external shocks. Vaishnaw also underscored India's deep-rooted civilisational strengths in manufacturing, noting that the country possesses the potential to reclaim its historical leadership position after falling behind during the Industrial Revolution.
In a related sphere of economic empowerment and rural inclusion, the Uttar Pradesh government's BC Sakhi scheme continues to expand financial access across villages. Launched in May 2020 through the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihoods Mission, the initiative operates on a model placing one banking correspondent in every gram panchayat to train and certify women from self-help groups.
Equipped with digital devices and mandatory certifications, these women deliver essential doorstep banking services to rural residents, eliminating the need to travel to distant bank branches. Participants receive a fixed monthly stipend for their initial months before transitioning to earnings derived from transaction commissions.
According to recent state budget documentation, tens of thousands of active banking correspondents facilitated massive transaction volumes across tens of thousands of gram panchayats over the fiscal year. This network generated substantial earnings for the participants while successfully driving grassroots financial inclusion and rural economic activity.