• Vartika Garg

India is one amongst those countries whose majority of the population still resides in rural areas. Women in these regions, are not able to gather enough opportunities that can make them empowered enough to be a bread earner. However, government’s initiative to make India a “cashless economy” have been able to bring adequate opportunities to women. Imparting knowledge related to digital finance have been able to provide better understanding with respect to general use of cashless methods of payments such as debit cards and net banking facilities. The research paper aims at understanding the change and enhancement, that digital finance platform has been able to bring, in the form of women empowerment. The research is primary in nature where 50 women from Mavli block of Udaipur district have been surveyed through questionnaire. The main motive behind choosing this area is its low literacy rate among women, which is 48.45% in comparison to that of males, that is 74.74%. The census, 2011, also states that 73% of total women in the age group of 15-59 years are non-workers in Rajasthan. However, there is certain section people in Mavli, who have been able to make use of digital finance platform and bring themselves in a workable position (Mavli Population Census 2011, 2011). Stratified sampling method have been used to select 50 participants for study where, women of 21 – 35 years have been chosen to conduct the research. Frequency analysis technique have been used to reach to the results. The research is then summed up based on data that has been gathered through it and derive the factors that has helped them to bring this change. The findings of data suggest that digital finance platform has been able to provide them with various opportunities in the light of women empowerment. They are now more technological friendly and are able to make use of digital media effectively. They have been able to learn various digital payment methods which has also assisted them to start their own businesses without stepping out of their homes. It helps them to credit and debit all the payments through mobile phones only. Results suggested that out of 50 women, 19 have been able to start their businesses at small level and 10 women have been able to take their businesses to medium level, with the help of their knowledge to digital finance. It can be concluded that digital finance has been able to bring transformative change in living and working conditions of women. The major change that has been reflected by the result in increased rate of women entrepreneurs in Udaipur district. Most commonly used platforms of digital finance are mobile wallets, such as, Paytm and BHIM UPI. Also, education and introduction and imparting knowledge of various payment methods, through government programme, also been able to influence adoption of digital payments among females in Mavli block.

digital finance, women empowerment, digital payments, awareness of digital finance

"Increasing use of digital finance platform and its relation to women empowerment", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.377-383, June 2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1906V52.pdf

"Increasing use of digital finance platform and its relation to women empowerment", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp377-383, June 2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1906V52.pdf