The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : “Emphasis on women’s empowerment”

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Sunday, Mar 09, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

“Emphasis on women’s empowerment”

Special Correspondent

Government trying to remove misconception that girl child is a burden, says Minister

‘Centre identified AP as role model in welfare programmes for women’
Bank loans for women groups to be hiked to Rs. 12,000 cr. next year: YSR

— Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

Sign of approval: Minister N. Rajyalakshmi affixing her signature to launch a signature campaign as part of Women’s Day celebrations in Hyderabad on Saturday.

HYDERABAD: Women and Child Welfare Minister N. Rajyalakshmi has said that the government was making a sincere effort to project women as a force to reckon with by empowering them.

Significant event

Participating in the official International Women’s Day celebrations here on Saturday, she said the occasion was all the more significant for the State in this background. The government tried to remove the misconception that a girl child was a burden on the parents.

She heaped praise on Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for doling out sops to all sections of people without their asking.

“No other Chief Minister favoured women as Dr. Reddy. Loans at three per cent interest rate borrowed by women’s groups was a major success story of the government,” she said.

Major Industries Minister J. Geeta Reddy said that the contribution of women was being recognised, albeit slowly.

Director of Women and Child Welfare Y.V. Anuradha said the Centre had identified Andhra Pradesh as a role model in developmental programmes for women.

CM’s message

A message of the Chief Minister, which was read out on his behalf since he could not attend the programme on account of eye ailment, said that the bank loans for women groups would be hiked from Rs. 7,000 crore to Rs. 12,000 crore next year. K. Ramadevi, chairperson, Andhra Pradesh State Social Welfare Advisory Board, also spoke.

Ms. Rajyalakshmi launched a signature campaign taken up by the Women and Child Welfare Department as part of Women’s Day celebrations with the theme ‘survival to success : celebrate her life’.

She affixed her signature on an enamel board installed at the venue.

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