Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has launched schemes to make one crore women millionaires by 2034. This includes SHGs owning 1,000 buses, increased bank loans, new saree designs, and ventures into retail, energy, and food grain procurement.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has announced a slew of women empowerment schemes aiming to promote one crore women as the “Millionaires” by 2034 in the state.
Speaking on the occasion of laying the foundation stone for the 8,000 SHG village organisation, Mahila Grama Sangam Building and launching a new saree design for one crore women at the Secretariat today, the Chief Minister declared that 553 buses owned by the Women Self Help groups would be flagged off at Parade Grounds on June 5.
Transforming Women into Bus Owners
Driven by the vision of transforming women into bus owners, a plan was already implemented to facilitate the purchase of 1,000 buses through women’s self-help groups and subsequently lease them to the RTC. The Chief Minister also recalled that within just two days of assuming office, the government had introduced free travel for women on RTC buses and reimbursed the RTC approximately Rs 10,000 crore under this scheme till the date. The Chief Minister criticised the opposition for obstructing the implementation of this scheme. The government thwarted all those conspiracies and successfully continued the free travel initiative.
Boosting Financial Power
Reiterating that the people’s government resolved to elevate women’s power, or Mahila Shakti, as an exemplary model for the entire nation, CM Revanth Reddy also announced that the limit for bank-linkage loans provided to women’s self-help groups is being increased from Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs. The government has facilitated bank-linkage loans amounting to Rs 60,472 crores for women’s groups, and has already disbursed Rs 1,390 crores towards interest-free loan schemes.
Expanding into Business Enterprises
The Chief Minister urged women’s groups not to limit themselves to small-scale livelihood activities, but to venture into larger business enterprises. Stating that the government is ready to allocate 100 acres of land, the CM said that a scheme to establish rice mills, warehouses at the Mandal (block) level, and logistics parks by the women groups was launched and emphasised that the role of women’s groups must be expanded to procurement, storage, and milling of food grains. Measures would be implemented to enable the women’s groups to directly procure paddy and supply the processed rice to the government. Women are accountable for every single grain to enhance transparency and accountability in the procurement.
Mahila Shakti Super Bazaars
The establishment of the “Mahila Shakti Super Bazaars” by the women’s self-help groups on the lines of corporate retail chains was also planned. The Mahila Shakti Super Bazaars should be set up to compete effectively with major retailers like DMart and Big Bazaar. CM Revanth Reddy said that the government is prepared to lease out land at concessional rates in urban areas for the establishment of these super bazaars. The objective of this initiative is to ensure that quality goods are made accessible to the public, farmers find a market for their produce, and women’s groups generate income. The government would also serve as a stakeholder in the Mahila Shakti Super Bazaars, ensuring that high-quality agricultural produce, organic products, and daily essentials cultivated by farmers reach consumers through this channel. If rural produce secures a robust market, it would benefit the farmers.
Ventures in Energy and Fuel Sectors
The CM also highlighted that the government was taking measures to establish 1,000 megawatts of solar energy plants through women’s self-help groups. Further, the women’s groups were also made partners in the petrol pump business sector. The petrol pumps are being established by the women’s groups in district headquarters and other key locations.
A Historic Initiative and New ‘Indiramma Sarees’
At the event conducted as part of the “Women’s Week” celebrations, organised under the “Praja Palana – Pragathi Pranalika” (People’s Administration – Progress Plan) initiative, CM Revanth Reddy described this as a historic initiative aimed at economically empowering women. The Chief Minister also unveiled four new designs of the “Indiramma Sarees,” featuring a distinctive parrot-green colour scheme. Laying the foundation stones for 8,000 buildings simultaneously on a single day is a groundbreaking decision within the country. The buildings will help the women’s groups have a space for meetings, economic activities, training, and business initiatives.
Success Stories and Financial Discipline
On this occasion, the CM interacted directly via video conference with women group members from various districts. Members of the Narayanpet women’s federation expressed their gratitude to the government for earning approximately Rs 27 lakhs through their petrol pumps. Commending their efforts to become rich, the Chief Minister said that, in certain business ventures undertaken by these women’s groups, they are generating a monthly income ranging from Rs 4 lakhs to Rs 5 lakhs. The Chief Minister also appreciated the groups from the Nirmal district for achieving a 100 per cent repayment rate to the banks, clearing every single rupee of their dues without any arrears. The CM directed the Nirmal District Collector to allocate a site along a main road for the establishment of a petrol pump for these groups.
CM Revanth Reddy lauded the women’s self-help groups across the state for forging ahead by diligently and honestly repaying every single rupee of their financial obligations. While some large-scale businessmen and major corporations are defaulting on loans worth thousands of crores of rupees and fleeing, the women’s self-help groups here are teaching them a lesson in financial discipline.
The Chief Minister said that the government was distributing ‘Indiramma Sarees’ to women as a traditional gift (sare). The CM recalled that the sarees distributed previously lacked quality and were ultimately used in agricultural fields to scare away birds. The newly designed sarees look as vibrant and beautiful as the Palapitta (Indian Roller) bird. The Indiramma Sarees would also be distributed in urban areas as well. This time, new saree designs in a parrot-green colour would be provided.
Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers Seethakka, Sridhar Babu, and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Rajya Sabha member Vem Narender Reddy, Government Advisor Harkara Venugopal, Women’s Commission Chairperson Gadwal Vijayalakshmi, MLAs, chairpersons of various corporations, and high-ranking officials from respective departments participated in this meeting.
CMO Principal Secretary Seshadri, Special Chief Secretary of the Panchayat Raj Department M. Dana Kishore, Principal Secretary of the Endowments Department Sailaja Ramaiyer, Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department Anita Ramachandran, SERP CEO Divya, and Director of the Women and Child Development Department Shruti Ojha were present during the video conference. (ANI)
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