Strengthening laws to ensure strict punishment for crimes against women: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government is strengthening laws to provide for stringent punishment for crimes against women. Addressing a Lakhpati Didi rally at Jalgaon in north Maharashtra, Modi also said his government has done more for women in the last 10 years than was done by all the previous regimes since Independence. Till 2014, less than Rs 25,000 crore loans were given to women self-help groups but in the last 10 years, Rs 9 lakh crore help was given, Modi said. Modi, who interacted with Lakhpati Didis at Jalgaon, released the Rs 2,500 crore revolving fund benefiting 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh self-help groups. The Lakhpati Didi scheme is not only about boosting the income of women, but also about empowering future generations, Modi said. You must have heard that India is going to become the third-largest economy in the world. Women play a huge role in it. However, it wasn't the case a couple of years ago, Modi said. Women guarantee the prosperity of