Women directors in active companies grew three-fold in last 10 yrs: FM

The presence of women directors in active corporate companies has increased over three-fold in the last 10 years, while in Tamil Nadu it has jumped over four-fold, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has been encouraging women's participation across sectors and this has been visible in the funds allocated to schemes allotted for women empowerment in the Budget, she said at an event here. Women are also rising on the corporate ladder and in the startup and financial technology space, about 18 per cent of 111 unicorns (valued at USD 1 billion) are led by women in India, she said. The Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister was speaking at a conference on Women Rising - The Unseen Barriers in Power, Politics and Otherwise, organised by the FICCI-FLO Chennai Chapter. On the number of women directors in active companies, she said, "At the all India level, there are 8.83 lakh women directors associated with active companie