Economic empowerment of women is govt’s goal: Seethakka

Kollapur(Nagarkurnool): “The government is implementing programmes to ensure that women achieve economic self-reliance and become financially independent,” Panchayat Raj, Rural Development and Women and Child Welfare Minister Dr Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) said on Saturday. Seethakka, along with Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, Nagarkurnool MP Mallu Ravi, and District Collector Hemanta Keshav Patil, laid foundation stones for development works, including road and solar power projects, in Peddakothapally and Kollapur mandals.

Later, addressing a public meeting held at Raja Bungalow in Kollapur, she said women’s self-help groups (SHG) members were being entrusted with the stitching and supply of uniforms for Anganwadi children and school students, thereby creating regular employment opportunities.

“Through paddy procurement activities undertaken by women’s groups, they earned around Rs.2.53 crore as commission income during the Kharif season,” she said.

The government was also providing opportunities for women’s groups to establish solar power units. By using the electricity generated and selling the surplus power, SHGs could potentially earn between Rs.3 lakh and Rs.5 lakh a month, she said.

Jupally added that the government was committed to the comprehensive development of the Kollapur Assembly constituency. Around Rs 500 crore had been sanctioned for the development of roads under the Roads and Buildings and Panchayat Raj departments, with another Rs.100 crore being proposed for road works, he said. Around Rs.50 crore was being spent on strengthening the power supply system in the constituency.

He said an Integrated School was being established at Jetpole to benefit around 2,500 students, with an estimated construction cost of Rs.200 crore.

The works would be completed before the next academic year, he said.

Jupally said steps were being taken to develop tourism potential in Kollapur and to construct cultural buildings and sports stadia at the mandal level. Under the Indiramma housing scheme, eligible poor families were being provided financial assistance of up to Rs.5 lakh per house, he said.

Later, the ministers and MP distributed cheques for Rs 175 crore in interest-free loans to women’s self-help groups in the Kollapur constituency. Sheep and country chicken chicks were also distributed to members of women’s groups in various mandals.

A cultural play on the theme “Do not fall into debt by spending extravagantly”, presented under the Telangana Cultural Department on the instructions of Jupally, received appreciation from the audience.

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The Hans India