Andhra Pradesh govt unveils special package for women

Buoyed by success stories of the 65 lakh-strong women self-help groups, Andhra Pradesh government on Friday unveiled a special package for them, including fifty per cent interest subsidy on loans and enhancement of sales tax exemption limit.

Press Trust of India

Hyderabad, December 5 2003

The women would also get 30,000 cellphones, have more Mahila Banks, vocational education, training and marketing facilities under the package.

AP accounts for highest number of 4.75 lakh DWCRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas) groups in the country with a total strength of over 65 lakh members and a corpus of Rs 1,600 crores.

"We have set a role model for the rest of the country and this is the best example of women empowerment worthy of emulation by developing nations," the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu told reporters while unveiling several measures to further strengthen the DWCRA movement.

Orders were being issued to provide over 30,000 cellphones to key functionaries of women groups at Mandal level, Mahila Banks and super markets run by DWCRA groups under Common User Group package, Naidu said.

"In a bid to facilitate better communication among self-help and improve marketing their products, the government has decided to provide handsets free of cost," he said, adding "discussions were on with the mobile service providers to have SMS facility in Telugu for a better co-ordination among the members."

Source: Hindustan Times