New Delhi, Jan 31 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat' campaign is linking the abilities of women with the development of the country. He also said that in more than 60,000 start-ups that have emerged after 2016, 45 per cent have at least one woman director. The Prime Minister said this while virtually addressing the 30th National Commission for Women (NCW) foundation day programme. The theme of the programme 'She The Change Maker' is aimed at celebrating the achievements of women in different fields. The Prime Minister emphasised that for centuries, India's strength has been the small local industries or the MSMEs and in these industries, women have the same role as men. "The old thinking had restricted women and their skills to domestic work. It is necessary to change this old thinking in order to advance the economy of the country. 'Make in India' is doing this today. AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign is linking the ability of women with the development of the country," he said. The Prime Minister further stated that this change is visible as about 70 per cent beneficiaries of Mudra Yojana are women. "The country has seen a three-fold increase in the number of women self-help groups in the last 6-7 years. Similarly, in more than 60,000 start-ups that have emerged after 2016, 45 per cent have at least one woman director," the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister pointed out that the participation of women in the growth cycle of new India is increasing relentlessly and Women's Commissions should work to promote and give maximum recognition to this role of women in the entrepreneurship of the society. "Since 2015, 185 women have been honoured with Padma Awards. This year too, 34 women figured among the awardees in different categories. This is a record as this many awards to women are unprecedented," the Prime Minister said. Modi said that in the last seven years, the policies of the country have become more sensitive towards women and today, India is among the countries with provision of maximum maternity leave. "Marriage at an early age does not hinder the education and career of daughters so the age of marriage of daughters is being attempted to be raised to 21 years," he said. The Prime Minister also talked about the historical distance of rural women from empowerment. He listed the steps such as nine crore gas connections and toilets, pucca (permanent) houses of PM Awaas Yojna in the name of women of the house, support during pregnancy, Jan Dhan accounts, that make these women the face of changing India and women empowerment. "When women make a resolution, they only set the direction of that. That is why whenever a government does not prioritise women safety, women have ensured their departure from power," the Prime Minister said. He stressed that the government is working with a policy of zero tolerance for crime against women. "There are strict laws in this regard including capital punishment for heinous cases of rape. There are fast track courts and steps like more women help desks in police stations, 24 hour helplines, and a portal to deal with cyber crimes are being taken," he said. Greeting the NCW on its foundation day, he said, "The milestone of 30 years, whether in the life of an individual or of an organization, is very important. This is the time for new responsibilities and for moving forward with new energy." "Today, in changing India, the role of women is continuously expanding. Therefore, the expansion of the role of the NCW is also the need of the hour. All the women's commissions of the country will also have to increase their scope and give a new direction to the women of their states," he said. /IANS