Nellore : Minister for Minority Welfare, Law& Justice and district in-charge Minister NMD Farooq has asserted the government is committed for socio and economic empowerment of women by uplifting their living standards in all fronts.

he participated as the chief at International Women’s Day organised at Sri Kasturba Gandhi Kalakshetram here on Saturday. The Minister said the ambition of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is that women should be strengthened economically. As part of this initiative, the CM is introducing several welfare, self-employment schemes, and providing subsidy loans through banks to women.

Recalling that it was former CM late NT Rama Rao, who introduced women into politics, Farooq said that NTR had offered 9 per cent reservations to women in politics during his tenure between 1986-87. CM Naidu, during his tenure earlier, had launched ‘Shaadi Mubarak’ for minority women as several poor have secured financial assistance from the government for their marriages, he said, criticising that the previous YSRCP government had stopped this scheme. He said that he is keen on relaunching this scheme by bringing the issue to the government’s notice.

Kovur MLA Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy said the role of women is most crucial for strengthening the society by making her children as responsible citizens.

Minister NMD Farooq had distributed cheques worth Rs 440 crore to women under various schemes.

District Collector O Anand, SP G Krishnakanth, officials from DRDA, MEPMA, ICDS, and other departments, self-help groups and others were present.