COLOURFUL ABODE: National Rural Building Centre shining bright on the NIRD campus in Rajendranagar on Tuesday. The centre was inaugurated by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. - PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has said lending for self-help groups (SHG) in the rural areas had gone up from a mere Rs. 330 crores in the erstwhile Telugu Desam regime to Rs. 1,238 crores in the fiscal 2004-05.

Rural lending for the fiscal 2005-06 was heading towards a target of about Rs. 2,200 crores, he said, speaking after inaugurating a Rural Crafts and Technology Mela in the 70 acre sprawling Rural Technology Park (RTP), in the campus of the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) here on Tuesday evening.

The 18-month rule of Congress had seen innovative programmes being launched for empowerment of women, Dr. Reddy said. He referred to the way illiterate, rural women had been trained to become barefoot engineers.

To a burst of applause, Chief Minister, Ministers Sabita Indra Reddy (Mines) and J.C. Divakara Reddy (Panchayati Raj) accepted solar lanterns manufactured by the members of the Women Barefoot Engineers Association.

Among others present at the inaugural were DG, NIRD, Lalit Mathur.

The mela has dozens of stalls set up by hundreds of rural artisans and SHG members from across the country and on display and sale are handicrafts, handlooms, readymade garments, khadi and village industries products, medical and aromatic products, leather goods, toys, decorative items, processed food items, coir products, silk, wood carvings, brassware and other ethnic ware. It is open to public between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. everyday until November 11.

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