- Women’s safety and mobility improve with better infrastructure access.
- Enhanced rural infrastructure empowers women entrepreneurs and workers.
- Infrastructure growth drives more job opportunities for women across India.
India is experiencing a phenomenal change in infrastructure, and this development is also creating new opportunities for women. As capital spending (capex) jumped from ₹2 lakh crore in 2014-15 to ₹11.21 lakh crore in 2025-26, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the nation is moving towards a "Viksit Bharat" – a developed and self-reliant India.
This staggering rise over six-fold in a decade is not only constructing roads and rails, but facilitating freedom for women, particularly in the countryside. Improved roads, secure public transport, and extended metro lines translate into greater mobility, access to employment, schooling, and health for women.
The Union Budget 2025-26 has proposed the highest-ever capex outlay of ₹11.21 lakh crore. Much of this is being spent on areas such as road transport (over ₹3 lakh crore), urban development, and railways—all areas which have direct implications on women's everyday lives.
Specifically, the metro rail system has expanded fourfold from a mere 248 km in 2014 to more than 1,000 km by 2025. Improved, safer urban mobility is a huge gain for working women and young girls seeking education.
The Finance Minister also pointed to India's engineering feats, including the Atal Tunnel and Chenab Bridge that are changing the face of the country. These projects show a sustained, long-term vision encompassing all citizens.
With a successful capital spending of 4.3% of GDP and increasing rural consumption, India's growth will increase. This growth is not just establishing a new India but also fostering inclusive growth where women can prosper and lead.
