Gadwal: The Telangana State Government is rolling out several welfare programs to support and uplift women. District Collector B.M. Santosh urges women to take full advantage of these opportunities for their advancement.
On Tuesday, Collector Santosh and Gadwal MLA Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy took part in the “Indira Mahila Shakti” event and a ration card distribution at the Maldakal Mandal headquarters, organized by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).
The Collector highlighted the government’s focus on women’s financial empowerment through various initiatives. In Maldakal Mandal, over 600 women’s self-help groups (SHGs) are active, involving more than 8,000 women. He encouraged more women to join these groups for benefits like interest-free loans, job opportunities, rice centers, and uniform stitching units.
Last year, SHGs in the mandal obtained loans totaling ₹26 crores, with ₹72 lakhs in interest waived this year. An additional ₹4.36 lakhs was approved for uniform stitching projects. To further assist rural women, the government allocated an Enterprise Grounding Amount of ₹15.80 crores.
Plans include setting up a petrol pump and a 1-megawatt solar power plant in the mandal with a ₹3 crore investment, creating more income sources for women. Over 900 new ration cards were distributed in Maldakal. The Collector assured that all applications are being thoroughly reviewed and issues addressed by relevant departments.
He advised beneficiaries to use their free rations wisely and warned against selling them on the black market. He mentioned that programs like Indiramma Housing, Rythu Bharosa, free bus travel for women, and solar power projects are accessible to all. Women are encouraged to leverage these programs for their growth.
MLA Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy stressed the government’s dedication to women’s welfare through various schemes. The Maha Lakshmi Scheme offers women free bus travel, increased Aarogyasri coverage up to ₹10 lakhs, subsidized LPG cylinders for ₹500, and 200 units of free electricity. Indiramma houses are now being allotted in women’s names, and SHGs are empowered to manage solar power plants, rental buses, petrol pumps, rice mills, and tailoring units.
The government aims to transform one crore women into millionaires by providing interest-free loans and multiple income opportunities, he said. The MLA promised that every eligible person will get a ration card and every needy family a house. He also reaffirmed the commitment to improving Maldakal’s infrastructure, including irrigation, water supply, roads, healthcare, and education.
The event saw participation from Additional Collectors Lakshmi Narayana and Narsinga Rao, local officials, women SHG members, community representatives, and residents.
