06-07-2025
Interest-free loans for SHGs in TG from July 12
Hyderabad: In keeping with its avowed quest to ring in economic empowerment of women, the State government will distribute interest-free loans to women Self Help Groups (SHGs) in all Assembly constituencies from July 12 to 18. It proposes to distribute Rs 20,000 crore interest-free loans to the identified women groups this year.
As a further facilitation, the government will provide bank linkage, loan and accident insurance to SHGs.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka pointed out on Saturday that the government was already supporting women groups economically by commissioning them works like running canteens, repair works in schools and orders for stitching school uniforms. To ensure that the economic gains reach SHGs, the government intends to purchase the products made by them. This translates to a guaranteed market for their investments.
The minister was speaking at the 'Indira Mahila Shakti' celebrations, where he also distributed RTC rental cheques to women groups.
Urging them to make full use of the encouragement and women-friendly facilities provided by the government and bolster Brand Telangana, Bhatti took potshots at the BRS regime for neglecting interest-free loans and incentives to SHGs in its 10 years in office. The deputy Chief minister said that in a welcome contrast, the Congress government has revived interest-free loans and is encouraging women groups to be engaged in special businesses. Cheques for interest-free loans have been distributed to women groups twice earlier in Hyderabad, he said.
He expressed happiness that the government had enabled women groups to purchase buses and lease them to TGSRTC. In the first phase, ₹one crore was handed over to them as rent payments. In the coming days, larger earnings from RTC would be shared with those groups, he added.
In line with this goal to turn one crore women into millionaires in the first year itself, interest-free loans worth ₹21,000 crore were disbursed to women's groups. Not less than ₹20,000 crore will be extended as interest-free loans to women groups every year, he averred.
