KOTHAGUDEM: Revenue and housing minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Thursday said the state government was encouraging self-help group (SHG) women to set up mini-industrial parks and food processing units to achieve empowerment.
Inaugurating an Indira Shakti canteen set up by SHG groups at the integrated district collectorate complex, Srinivas Reddy said a plan was prepared by the state government for strengthening women SHGs so that they could achieve financial self-reliance.
Training programmes would be conducted for women in packaging, branding and food processing. He reminded that the state government had extended interest-free loans to SHG women and provided them accidental insurance.
Srinivas Reddy also emphasised the need to encourage rural women to develop as entrepreneurs by exploring opportunities. Five Mahila Shakthi canteens of SHGs would be set up at Kothagudem, he added.
Stating that no new person should take up cultivation in podu land, he asked forest department officials to create awareness among the cultivators of about jamail farming.
Earlier, Srinivas Reddy inaugurated a Rs 50-lakh synthetic tennis court at Palvancha. He also launched an archery tournament which was conducted as part of Khelo India programme.
