Andhra Pradesh   

Sonia hails self-help groups in A.P.

B. Chandrashekhar

Manmohan briefed on their functioning

UNDERSTANDING THEIR PROBLEMS: Chairperson of the National Advisory Council Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh interacting with Bandlapalli villagers near Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. Collector Y.V.Anuradha is also seen. — Photo : Satish. .H.

BANDLAPALLI (ANANTAPUR DT.): Women of self-help groups drawn from 13 districts in which the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is being implemented in Andhra Pradesh and a few sarpanches had a lively interaction with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi here on Thursday.

In an interaction session arranged with the visiting dignitaries after the launch of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) here, members of village organisations explained their structure, activity and functioning, the publicity being given by them for the new wage employment scheme among others.

In all, 42 SHG women and eight sarpanches participated in the session.

The Prime Minister asked the SHG women whether gram panchayats, its members and sarpanches concerned were cooperating with them in their activities and in the campaign taken up to publicise the NREGS. Zubeida from Nizamabad district replied that cooperation from panchayats was good.

When he wanted to know about bank linkage to their activities, Ranibai from Karimnagar district said most of their members were clearing loans promptly and they had to pressure others for repayment so that they could also get the benefit of 25 paise interest.

She explained that they were taking financial assistance for agriculture and allied activities.

When several SHG women told Ms. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh that they were a highly contented lot as their thrift activity had yielded result. "We too are proud of you," Ms. Sonia said. She shook hands with several SHG women.

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