Congress Will Revive Abhaya Hastham Pension for Women: Uttam Kumar

HYDERABAD:  Congress MP and Huzurnagar candidate N. Uttam Kumar Reddy launched a scathing attack on the BRS regime for its abysmal record on women's welfare during its nine-and-a-half-year tenure, even as he highlighted the plight of women's self-help groups (SHGs) which he said the government had completed ignored.

Uttam Kumar Reddy highlighted the struggles faced by the Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) groups since the BRS's ascent to power while speaking to women members of SHGs after releasing a brochure on their issues on Saturday.

The former TPCC chief painted a grim picture of the financial woes plaguing these groups. He revealed that the government owed approximately Rs 4,250 crore owed by the government to nearly 64 lakh women associated with the SHGs, including unpaid interest of Rs 2,200 crore and '750 crore for rural and urban SHGs, respectively.

He also raised serious concerns about the alleged misappropriation of Rs 360 crore from the Abhaya Hastam pension fund by the BRS government, lambasting Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao for his callous disregard for women's empowerment.

He promised that the Congress if elected would revive the Abhaya Hastham pension which was discontinued by the BRS government, and clear all the dues. He said that the Congress government would also provide interest-free loans up to Rs 10 lakh once in three months as used to happen earlier.

Utam Kumar Reddy promised that the Congress government would revive the insurance schemes for the SHGs women. He said the SERP employees would be regularised and all 76,965 employees would get proper pay scales. He said that nearly 74 lakh families were associated with 6.26 lakh SHGs and the Congress Govt would ensure their welfare.