HYDERABAD: Perhaps keeping the ensuing by-elections in mind, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has showered sops on self-help groups in the state.
Addressing the first general body meeting of the Stree Nidhi Credit Cooperative Federation here on Friday, he said the government would provide interest-free loans to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore to SHGs to members of the federation this year.
He also said the government would sanction Rs 5 lakh each for construction of Grama Samakhya buildings in the state. Plans are also afoot for inauguration of 1,467 mandal samakhya buildings on a single day. He said the government agreed to pay Rs 1,400 crore towards interest to banks for the Rs 11,500-crore loans availed by SHGs this year.
Cell phones will be provided to members of all SHGs for easy access. In the interest of 8.5 crore poor people, the government was bearing the Rs 26,000-crore subsidy burden every year on welfare programmes unlike in any other state.
To lift women out of poverty, the government introduced milk collection and chilling scheme and allotted Rs 6,000 crore for it.
Wishing that more and more women join politics and public life, he said SHG members would be considered for nominated posts. If the women’s quota bill was adopted, 180 parliament seats would go to women, he said.