HYDERABAD: The state government will set up exclusive Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) parks for women in every Assembly constituency as part of a long-term strategy to promote women entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, said IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu on Sunday.
Speaking at the WE-Enable Graduation Ceremony organised by WE Hub at Dr BR Ambedkar Open University in Jubilee Hills, the minister said women are central to Telangana’s ambition of becoming a USD 3 trillion economy by 2047.
The event marked a milestone as 600 young women graduated from the first batch of the WE-Enable programme, a flagship initiative designed to equip women students from government and private colleges with industry exposure, mentorship and innovation skills.
Sridhar stated that women’s empowerment must begin at home and expand across all sectors of society.
“There is a visible transformation in how society views women in Telangana, reflecting a deeper change in mindset,” he said, pointing to the rapidly rising participation of women in economic activities.
Citing official data, he noted that Telangana’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate has reached 52.7%, higher than the national average of 45.2%. Women’s presence in the workforce has nearly doubled, from 22% in 2017-18 to 40.3% in 2023-24, indicating broader access to jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Applauding WE Hub for building an ecosystem of women-led innovation and enterprises, the Minister said the upcoming WE Hub 2.0 initiative would focus on scaling globally competitive businesses. He added that the government is creating a unified support system covering skills development, technology access, financing, market linkages and mentorship for women entrepreneurs.
Encouraging young women to transition from job seekers to job creators, Sridhar urged them to take the lead in shaping Telangana’s growth story.
Film producer and entrepreneur Priyanka Dutt, along with Olympic badminton player and Global Academy for Badminton founder Jwala Gutta, addressed the graduates and shared their personal journeys of resilience, leadership and ambition. They encouraged students to dream big and define success on their own terms.