- Minister of State for Panchayat Raj Danasari Anasuya Seethakka issued a special action plan for women's economic empowerment in Telangana
- The plan seeks to increase the financial independence and economic opportunities of women throughout the state
- The plan is an extension of the government's overall drive to push for gender equality and inclusive development
Minister of State for Panchayat Raj Danasari Anasuya Seethakka on Thursday revealed that the government is in active process of formulating a special action plan of economic empowerment of women in the state.
Speaking on the occasion of “Indira Mahila Shakti” celebrations organized at Girijan Bhavan in Mulugu district headquarters, the minister—along with Bhadrachalam MLA Tellam Venkata Rao, Additional CEO of SERP P. Katyayani Devi, District Collector Divakar TS, Market Committee Chairperson Rega Kalyani, and Grandhalaya Samstha Chairperson Banoth Ravi Chander—distributed interest-free loan cheques, loan insurance, and accident claim cheques to the beneficiaries.
Seethakka explained that the government is carrying on the vision of the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by bringing in welfare programmes that actually change the lives of women. She stressed that an amount of ₹26,000 crore has been disbursed through bank linkage loans to self-help groups (SHGs) of women and interest on these loans has been waived totally. Encouraging women to make the most of such schemes, she urged them to go beyond government jobs and look for opportunities in the private sector and as entrepreneurs.
In the Mulugu division alone, there are 9 mandal federations, 330 village organisations, and 6,904 SHGs with a total membership of 69,736 women. In the financial year 2024–25, bank-linked loans worth ₹249.07 crore were disbursed, and ₹54.79 crore was sanctioned for 2025–26 to cover 618 SHGs. Apart from that, interest-free loans amounting to ₹884.53 crore were provided to 5,109 SHGs. In connection with the Mahila Shakti program, interest-free loans of ₹10.74 crore were provided to 52,615 women belonging to 5,212 SHGs.
