Rajamahendravaram: East Godavari district collector P Prasanthi said that revolutionary changes have occurred in the sanctioning of loans to Self-Help Groups (SHGs) over the last two decades. She stressed the significant achievement of increasing loan amounts from Rs one lakh to Rs 20 lakh, stating that this shift from small-scale loans to larger ones has contributed to the economic empowerment of women.

The 23rd District SHG Federation Executive Committee meeting was held on Thursday at the District Federation office in Hukumpeta. The collector attended as the chief guest.

During her speech, she expressed the view that utilising these loans for improving income sources enhances the financial well-being of families.

The collector called upon SHG women to play a crucial role not only in economic empowerment but also in social responsibility. She stated that the excessive use of fertilizers affects crops, soil fertility, and food, and that it is the responsibility of SHGs to raise awareness about this issue at the village level. She said that the thought process of using more than the necessary amount of urea for quick, high yields leads to residues in our food, which unknowingly impacts our health. The collector urged everyone to take steps towards cleanliness starting from their own homes. She advised SHG women to become role models in reducing plastic usage, using jute bags, and implementing double dustbins in every home, while also raising awareness among others.

Collector Prasanthi emphasised the need for all family members to be responsible for the safety and protection of women. She said that while instructions are often given to girls, a similar approach is not taken with boys. She stressed that boys must also be educated to have respect for and to provide security to women. “Only then will our girls be safe and able to achieve their goals,” she stated.

The collector also announced that the district administration would take responsibility for providing a special brand and board design for the ‘SHG - Tea Stalls’ to be set up by SHG women in the East Godavari district. She suggested that in the future, they should also take steps towards establishing other business ventures such as fruit stalls under the SHG umbrella.

DRDA Project Director NVVS Murthy, APD Y Satyam Naidu, District SHG Federation President Kandikatla Aruna Kumari, Secretary Dokku Lakshmi Parvati, Treasurer Sheikh Fatima, DPMs Sampath Kumar, Janardhan, Srinivas, and Raja Rao participated.