The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Strides made by women highlighted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 01, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Strides made by women highlighted

Special Correspondent

Chidambaram urges SHGs to make ‘goods of real value’

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Pep talk: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram arriving for the valedictory function of the 25th anniversary of AWAKE in Bangalore on Saturday.

Bangalore: Women entrepreneurs have a natural advantage in the knowledge-based society and this has been proved by the strides they have made in sectors like banking, advertising and media, Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has said.

Speaking at the valedictory function of the 25th anniversary of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka (AWAKE) here on Saturday, he said that the hurdles women faced in the “brick-and-moral days of early industrialisation” were overcome in the post-industrial society. Though there were still many “glass ceilings to be pierced”, there was a new-found confidence among women, and they had “virtually taken over” the highest positions in several financial institutions, he added.

‘Dependable borrowers’

Speaking about the achievements of women entrepreneurs in rural areas, he said that as many as 30 lakh women’s self-help groups, the highest in any country including Bangladesh, were credit-linked to banks. The recovery rate was as high as 98 per cent, making women the “most dependable borrowers”, he said.

Mr. Chidambaram urged SHGs to move on from the “pickle and papad stage” and make “goods of real value”. Citing an example, he said that a SHG in the North-East was making world-class archery sport equipment.

Madhura Chatrapathi, the first president of AWAKE, said that the organisation was the first to be started exclusively for and by women, without being the branch of any parent body.

Mr. Chidambaram later opened an ATM of the Vijaya Bank at the Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli.

The Finance Minister who was to inaugurate it at 3.30 p.m. arrived only at 5.55 p.m. and spent less than five minutes at the function.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka