Karnataka Chief Secretary bats for eves’ empowerment

Visakhapatnam: “Women entrepreneurs have to play a vital role for the development of society. The collective women power would create miracles and the women only have such powers, said Chief Secretary of Karnataka K Ratnaprabha.

• Government has taken a good decision to promote women entrepreneurs by allocating 50 acres to develop a Women Special Economic Zone. This is for the first of kind in the world, says Chief Secretary of Karnataka K Ratnaprabha
• Chairperson of Women’s Commission Nannapaneni Rajakumari says that with self-confidence, women could chase any goals
• She urges bankers to encourage women entrepreneurs by sanctioning loans
• Chairman of Visakhapatnam Port Trust MT Krishna Babbu says that at a recent survey 14 per cent of women are growing as industrialists in the country and 75 per cent of the entrepreneurs are setting up their units with their own funds

She was the chief guest at the valedictory of a three-day international women entrepreneurs’ conference here on Friday. Ratnaprabha said that women already proved their skills by maintaining the family and work. In the present era, women are competing with the men in all sectors. However, the women entrepreneurs have to work collectively to create more milestones, Ratnaprabha added.

The state government has taken an excellent decision to promote women entrepreneurs by allocating 50 acres exclusively to develop a Women Special Economic Zone. This is for the first of kind in the world, she said.

The women entrepreneurs have to be careful always while leading their industries, as the entire society would watch the new and first of its kind SEZ, she said and appealed the women to utilise the government’s new initiative.

Chairman of Visakhapatnam Port Trust MT Krishna Babbu said that at a recent survey 14 per cent of women are growing as industrialists in the country and 75 per cent of the entrepreneurs are setting up their units with their own funds.

Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University G Nageswara Rao said that women’s role has been increased in all the sectors. In Andhra University 60 per cent of the total students’ strength is girls only, he added.

President of ALEAP K Ramadevi presided over the meeting and a large number of women entrepreneurs were present. In order to achieve women’s empowerment, Andhra Pradesh Women's Commission Chairperson Nannapaneni Rajakumari advised the nationalised banks, cooperative societies and grameena banks to support women entrepreneurs by providing loans to set up industries in the state.

“All the banks and financial institutions in the country should come forward to give loans of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore to at least 1,000 women industrialists of the state so that they can develop faster,” she said while addressing the delegates at International Women Entrepreneurs Conference here on Friday.

“The nationalised banks offered Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 crore loans to corporates and politicians. They had never asked them to return the huge money. However, they harass rural women who could not repay the small amounts due to hardships,” she pointed out.

She further stated: “The Union Finance Minister and the Central government should facilitate skill development of women in the state to bring out the entrepreneurial talent among them. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been working from decades to empower women financially and politically.”

The Chief Minister had earlier offered almost 170 acres in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh to Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP) for establishing industrial parks in Hyderabad. He is now supporting the organisation to set up International Trade and Technology hub in five acres at Girijala village in Anandapuram mandal. He also committed to 50 acres land for an industrial park here.