Priority to women empowerment through self-employment: CM Jagan

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked officials to encourage women in self-empowerment by widening the means of a livelihood to them through schemes like the Cheyutha, Asara, Kapu Nestham and EBC Nestham.

The government has been providing financial assistance for four consecutive years to the beneficiaries who have qualified under the schemes, he said, and affirmed that he was giving top priority to women empowerment.

At a review meeting, Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development (PR & RD) officials to expedite the works related to the digital libraries, village clinics, RBKs (Rythu Bharosa Kendras) and village secretariats. He asked them to ensure quality in the construction of roads. They should last for at least five years. Some roads are getting damaged in the second year itself, he noted.

The government is implementing welfare schemes like YSR Cheyuta, Aasara  Kapu Nestham and EBC Nestham for empowerment of women by providing them self-employment opportunities through bank loans. The officials should strive to augment the opportunities for them, he said.

Besides attempting tie-ups with multinational companies for selling women’s products, it must also be ensured that the beneficiaries become entrepreneurs in the same year of them receiving the benefits under various schemes. This would also help economic development in rural areas.

The officials explained that so far nine lakh SC, ST, BC and Minority women have started their own business enterprises with the help of Cheyuta. Tie-ups with MNCs like Hindustan Unilever, ITC, Reliance, Mahendra and P&G for marketing their products have been arranged.

As high as 215.17 lakh working days have been created so far as part of the target to provide 1500 lakh working days to women beneficiaries, with an expenditure of ₹ 5280crore under the employment guarantee scheme this year. The total estimated expenditure under the employment guarantee scheme was ₹ 8800 crore, out of which ₹ 3520 crore would be incurred on material alone.

The CM asked the officials to help get the ₹ 880 crore outstanding from the central government under the employment guarantee scheme for the 2022-23 fiscal.

Programmes like the Cheyuta 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 said, adding that 27 Cheyuta Mahila Marts have been established so far.

Plans are afoot to establish two Cheyuta Mahila Marts in each district with a view to supplying essential commodities for lesser prices to the people.

The Chief Minister was informed that 200 women were provided employment in the Vastra garment unit established at Samalkot in Kakinada district. Marketing tie-ups have been arranged with Trends and Agio. Some 3000 families are being benefited through the tamarind processing unit in Chittoor district.

Deputy Chief Minister Muthyala Naidu, chief secretary Jawahar Reddy,  special CS B Rajasekhar, finance secretary KVV Satyanarayana, PR & RD commissioner Suryakumari, Swachha Andhra Corporation MD Basant Kumar, SERP CEO Md. Imtiaz and other officials were present.