FLO empowers women in entrepreneurial journey via Digital India

The FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) is redefining the importance of women entrepreneurs in India as the country is going through a digital revolution.

In an interaction with DH, FLO Bengaluru Chairperson Lakshmi Ishwar said the government’s Digital India programme is transformative in nature and can leapfrog the society into a digitally empowered one.

“The challenges faced along the way will be several but we will overcome them. Now there is a ray of hope for women in every nook and corner of the country to participate in governance, to become self-employed and economically and socially empowered with the digital India initiatives,” she said.
Lakshmi also pointed that skilling women will have a larger impact on society. “Our Swayam platform is focussed on women entrepreneurs.  We also have lady driver training, home nurse training and an e-commerce initiative,” Lakshmi said.

She said FLO is actively involved in skilling initiatives in Karnataka which will help women in all strata of society. There is a well-known saying, ‘When we teach a man, we teach one person, when we train or teach a woman, we educate a family’. Skilling and providing an opportunity to women will boost the economy,” she added.

The World Bank’s recently released World Development Report (WDR) ‘Digital Dividends’ highlights that even though digital technologies have spread rapidly throughout the world, the broader development benefits from using these technologies have not reached the bottom of the pyramid.

FLO recently organised a meet on Digital India: Where are we going? with the overwhelming participation of members and addressed by Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and FICCI Chairman Shekar Viswanathan.

Kant said the country is going towards virtual banks where ATMs, Point of Sale, debit cards and credit cards will become irrelevant. “In all of this, women will play a very significant role and the persuasive power of women is going to change the face of India,” he said.

Niti Ayog CEO also pointed out that globally 40% of Nations’ GDP comes from women, whereas in India the total women working population is just about 24% adding only 17% to the GDP.