India
oi-Oneindia Staff
Uttarakhand has approved its first dedicated Women Policy, laying out a clear framework to improve women’s participation in employment, governance and economic activity across the state.
The initiative points to the vision of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who has consistently pushed reforms aimed at expanding opportunities for women and building a more inclusive growth model in the state.
Uttarakhand’s first Women Policy boosts women’s participation in employment, governance, and economy via Mahila Sabhas, state job reservations, and entrepreneurship schemes like Mahila Saarthi Yojana and Drone Didi.
At the heart of the policy is a clear focus on empowerment through participation. Women will now have greater space in decision-making through Mahila Sabhas at the Gram Panchayat level. These platforms are expected to bring women’s voices directly into local governance, ensuring stronger representation in village-level planning and development.
The policy also builds on Uttarakhand’s existing record in women-centric reforms. The state has already implemented 30 per cent horizontal reservation for women in government jobs, a move that has steadily increased women’s presence in public service and strengthened financial independence for many families.
This has been further complemented by 33 per cent reservation for women in cooperative societies. By extending representation into the cooperative sector, the government has widened women’s role beyond traditional governance structures and into economic decision-making at the grassroots level.
Alongside representation, the focus has also been on livelihood creation. Under the Mahila Saarthi Yojana, launched as a pilot in Dehradun, women are now stepping into new roles as drivers of auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers, earning directly and gaining financial independence in the process.
Other initiatives such as Lakhpati Didi, Mukhyamantri Sashakt Bahna Utsav Yojana, Ekal Mahila Swarozgar Yojana and Drone Didi are further expanding opportunities for self-employment, skill development and entrepreneurship, creating a strong ecosystem for women-led income generation.
With this comprehensive Women Policy, Uttarakhand has positioned itself as one of the states actively pushing a women-led development model, where policy support, reservation and entrepreneurship initiatives come together to create long-term social and economic change.
