CM Revanth launches Mahila Shakti Saree scheme; Telangana in talks with Amazon to boost online market

Hyderabad: In a bid to provide a big market through online marketing at the national and international level, the State Government was holding talks with the Amazon company, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said on Wednesday.

On the occasion of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary, the Chief Minister launched the Mahila Shakti Saree distribution scheme after garlanding the statue of Indira at Necklace Road.

Saree distribution scheme

Reviewing the arrangements made for the distribution of the sarees with District Collectors and women self-help groups, the CM said that the ‘People’s Government’ is giving due respect to women, considering them as sisters and launched the saree distribution scheme for one crore women.

Instructing the collectors to appoint a Special Officer for each Assembly constituency to oversee the distribution of sarees in the name of ‘Mahila Unnati- Telangana Pragati’, the CM said that the program should be organised in a festive atmosphere in every mandal headquarters.

65 lakh sarees for distribution

MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other public representatives should also be invited, the CM said that the distribution of sarees to women, who are 18 and above age, in rural areas should be completed from November 19 to December 9.

For this, 65 lakh sarees have been made available. In the second phase, 35 lakh sarees will be distributed in urban areas from March 1 to 8. The Collectors were also ordered to keep the data of the Social, Economic, Educational, Employment and Political Caste Survey (SEEEPEC), collect Aadhar details and carry out facial recognition during the distribution of the sarees to the women.

Government is encouraging women's empowerment

CM Revanth highlighted the women empowerment schemes which are being implemented in the state and reminded that the previous government was negligent in providing interest-free loans to women groups. The People’s Government was releasing interest-free loans and the required funds also simultaneously.

The CM also listed out the free RTC bus travel for women, leasing of RTC buses from women's groups, uniform stitching contracts to women’s associations, who earned Rs 30 crore for women's empowerment.

Assistance to education and agriculture

The works worth Rs 534 crore in the schools were awarded to Amma Adarsha Pathashala Committees and the purchase of paddy has been entrusted to women’s associations. The government also set up Indira Mahila Shakti Bazaar on 3 acres of land worth hundreds of crores of rupees next to Shilparamam.

“Now, we are in talks with Amazon with the aim of providing an international market for the products produced by women’s groups,” the CM said.

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka has said that the people’s government led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy launched the saree distribution programme with the aim of increasing the dignity of women. The government was providing sarees to all women who possessed ration cards.

Minister Seethakka said that banks are coming forward to provide loans to the women's groups, recognising their strict financial discipline. The minister praised the women's groups for achieving 98 per cent loan repayment.

Some people are spreading misinformation about the distribution of Indira Mahila Shakti sarees, Minister Seethakka said, appealing to the people to counter false propaganda.

Further, the minister said that sky colour sarees were chosen for distribution, reflecting the energies of women to grow.

How is your petrol station running?

When CM Revanth enquired about the running of the petrol pump, Narayanpet District Mahila Samakhya President Arundhati said that the petrol station was running well and earning Rs 4 lakh per month.

The CM suggested that the collectors conduct a tour of the women's associations from other districts to the petrol pump in Narayanpet district and study how the women groups are performing and earning profits.

‘Sarees are like our uniforms’

Bhagya, President of Rajanna Sircilla District Women's Federation, thanked Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for distributing sarees with attractive designs. She also said that sarees with 9 meters and 6 meters measurements are good and happy to wear the designed sarees.

Sreedevi, President of Komaram Bheem Asifabad District Women's Federation, said that she is happy that she received a uniform through the provision of sarees. She said that the women's groups will get a special identity by wearing these sarees.