In keeping with its past and present policy objectives, the government has launched a number of programmes focused on empowerment of rural women. ‘In 1998, a scheme was started that aimed at empowering women in rural areas. It was called Swashakti—the Rural Women Development and Empowerment Project. In 2001, the government launched Swayamsiddha—the Integrated Women Empowerment Scheme that aims at holistic empowerment of women through awareness generation. In 2002, Swadhar was launched to make rural women economically strong. Under the Ninth Plan (1997-2002), ‘Empowerment of Women’ became one of the nine primary objectives of development. India has heralded the New Millennium by pronouncing the year 2001 as Women’s Empowerment Year.’ Under the provisions of ‘The Women (Empowerment for Equal Participation) Bill 2005, it is stated that reservation for women in local bodies like village panchayats, municipalities etc. is not enough.