VIJAYAWADA: Stating that his government is implementing various schemes for women’s empowerment, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed officials to improve their living standards by providing self-employment opportunities to them through bank loans.
Chairing a review meeting on the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department at his camp office in Tadepalli on Thursday, he said besides working towards reaching tie-ups with multinational companies for selling self-employed women’s products, the officials should also ensure that the beneficiaries become successful entrepreneurs in the same year of receiving the benefits of various schemes.“This will help achieve sustainable economic development in rural areas,” he said.
The officials informed him that 9 lahks SC, ST, BC and minority women have started their own business units with the help of Cheyutha and tie-ups with MNCs like Hindustan Unilever, ITC, Reliance and P&G for marketing their products have been completed.
As many as 27 marts, involving Self Help Group women have been set up in the State to supply essential commodities at lower prices in the rural areas. A monthly business target of Rs 30 lakh has been set for each mart. Facilities like door delivery and WhatsApp booking will also be made available. Programmes like Cheyutha Mahila Mart, Vastra, tamarind processing units, onion solar drying units, e-Mirchi and backyard poultry are being taken up to help the beneficiaries, the officials explained.
The Chief Minister was also informed that 200 women were provided employment in the Vastra garment unit set up at Samalkot in the Kakinada district and a marketing tie-up has been arranged with Trends and Agio, while 3,000 families are being benefited through the tamarind processing unit established in Chittoor district.
The Chief Minister also directed the officials to take steps to expedite the pending works related to digital libraries, village clinics, Rythu Bharosa Kendras and village secretariats. He instructed them to pay special attention to ensure quality in the construction of roads so that they will last for at least five years.
The officials told him that 215.17 lakh working days have been created in the State so far against the target of 1,500 lakh working days with an expenditure of Rs 5,280 crore under the NREGS for the current fiscal. The total estimated expenditure under the NREGS is put at Rs 8,800 crore and out of which Rs 3,520 crore will be spent on material alone.
Jagan asked the officials to take steps to get Rs 880 crore outstanding dues from the Centre under the NREGS for the financial year 2022-23. Deputy Chief Minister (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) B Mutyala Naidu, Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy, Special Chief Secretary (PR&RD) B Rajasekhar, Finance Secretary KVV Satyanarayana and other officials were present.