Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced that the state government will take responsibility for setting up rice mills and warehouses by Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in every mandal. He said that empowering women SHGs is the key for achieving his vision of making Telangana a “$1 trillion economy.”
He added that the Congress government was committed to strengthening women SHGs, ensuring the state’s rise as a “one trillion economy.” He stated that women SHGs would be entrusted with the responsibility of storing paddy purchased at Indira Kranthi Patham centres in these warehouses, milling it, and supplying it to the state government and FCI.
Speaking at the Indira Mahila Shakti Sabha, held as part of the International Women’s Day organised by the state government at Parade Ground in Secunderabad on Saturday, Reddy reaffirmed the Congress government’s commitment to strengthen women SHGs.
He said that his government has already disbursed ₹21,000 crore in zero-interest loans to financially empower women in the last one year. To further expand SHG membership, the eligibility age for women to join has been lowered from 18 to 15 years, while the upper limit has been raised from 60 to 65 years. He stated that this move aims to increase SHG membership from the current 65 lakh to one crore.
“Our goal is to make one crore women crorepatis,” Reddy declared, adding that he takes great pride in being called ‘Revanth Anna’ by women, seeing it as a responsibility to uplift them.
He emotionally expressed that just as past generations called Indira Gandhi “Amma” and NTR “Anna,” women in Telangana now call him ‘Revanth Anna,’ which he considers is a great responsibility.
The Chief Minister criticised millers for exploiting paddy from IKP centres without proper accounting. To counter this, he announced that the government would provide land and financial assistance to women SHGs for establishing rice mills and warehouses in every mandal.
Reddy announced that nutritional food for students in residential schools and colleges would be sourced from women SHGs and directed the chief secretary A. Santhi Kumari and SERP CEO to formulate a policy for this initiative.
Accusing his predecessor K. Chandrasekhar Rao of totally neglecting women SHGs during his ten-year regime, Reddy remarked that the metaphoric “Chandra grahanam’ (lunar eclipse) over women SHGs and girls has ended in the state. He criticised the BRS government for restricting SHG women from reaching even mandal headquarters. He credited the formation of the Congress government 15 months ago to the blessings of women, asserting that women are now witnessing light and freedom.
The Chief Minister said that his government has ensured timely payments for women managing IKP centres, which was a major shift from the past. He also noted that solar power projects, previously controlled by corporate entities like Adani and Ambani, are now being entrusted to women SHGs in Telangana. Under this initiative, women SHGs will operate 1,000 MW solar plants and sell electricity to the state power department.
Reddy further announced that RTC bus lease agreements, previously benefiting Rao’s close associates, are now being allocated to women associations. So far, 1,000 buses, including 150 electric buses, have been leased to SHGs.
To expand their business opportunities, 150 retail outlets near Hi-Tech City in Gachibowli—adjacent to major corporate offices like Infosys and Wipro—have been allocated to women SHGs. The government will provide tax exemptions and financial aid for raw material procurement to support these businesses, he assured.
Praising the legacy of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in promoting women’s reservations, he promised that if women SHG members develop leadership skills, they will be given opportunities in politics. He pledged to allocate 33 per cent of MLA and MP seats to women in future elections and assured support for their electoral success.
Marking the occasion, the Chief Minister distributed bank linkage cheques worth ₹22,793 crore and accident insurance cheques worth ₹44.80 crore to women SHGs.
He also virtually inaugurated solar power plants managed by SHGs and launched the Indira Mahila Shakti Mission 2025 Policy. This policy aims to financially empower women by creating business opportunities across 20 sectors.
Along with Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and several ministers, Revanth Reddy visited stalls set up by women associations to understand their products and marketing strategies.
