SIDDIPET: Finance Minister Harish Rao will inaugurate a lentil stall, run by women from Mittapally village, at the Siddipet Integrated Market on Wednesday. The stall is a result of the sheer will of 18 women from the village and assistance from public representatives.
Harish Rao’s had earlier promised to provide financial assistance to women who wanted to produce good variety lentil and bring it into the market. He shared his idea with women from Mittapally Mandal headquarters in Siddipet constituency.
Following this, the 18 women formed a group, invested Rs 10,000 each and raised Rs 1.8 lakh. Village sarpanch Vanga Laxmi further provided a financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh. The women purchased a lentil splitting and cleaning machine. Mittapally SBI officials then sanctioned a loan of Rs 10 lakh. The women then purchased red gram from neighbouring villages at the support price of Rs 5,800 per quintal. Until recently, the women were selling finished lentils in Siddipet and markets in other areas.
However, seeing their interest, Harish Rao directed Markfed officials to sell them 250 quintals of lentils at Rs 4,200 per quintal. They then started selling 6 kg of red gram for Rs 500. While the price of red gram in the open market is Rs 90, these women have been selling it for Rs 80 per kg. Harish Rao then sanctioned the stall at the Siddipet Integrated Market for the women to sell their products.