NITI Aayog’s Report on Women’s Financial Participation in India

On 3rd March 2025, NITI Aayog launched a report highlighting the increasing financial awareness among Indian women, with 27 million actively monitoring their credit—a 42% rise from the previous year.

Key Points

Rise in Financial Awareness: Women’s share in self-monitoring credit rose to 19.43% in December 2024, up from 17.89% in 2023.
Stronger Growth in Non-Metro Regions: Self-monitoring credit activity grew by 48% in non-metro areas, compared to 30% in urban centers.
Geographical Trends: Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana accounted for 49% of self-monitoring women, with southern states leading.
Shifting Borrowing Patterns: Women’s share in business loan origination increased by 14% since 2019, with projections showing they will comprise 35% of business borrowers by December 2024.
Challenges Remain: Credit aversion, poor banking experiences, lack of collateral, and difficulty in securing guarantors hinder full financial participation.
Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP): NITI Aayog’s WEP is focused on expanding financial literacy, credit access, and mentorshipp for women.
Financing Women Collaborative (FWC): A new initiative under WEP inviting financial stakeholders to design inclusive products and address structural barriers.