Hyderabad: Since economic empowerment is one of the most powerful routes for women to achieve their potential and rights, the Telangana government, in order to make women self-reliant, created Model Enterprises in each of the 17,952 Village Organisations in 32 districts under the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP).
Each village organisation has five-eight model enterprises. In the 2022-2023 fiscal, 1,02,425 new enterprises worth Rs 1,335.55 crore were launched as part of this initiative. The Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) facilitated orientation programmes for district teams for the smooth grounding of these enterprises.
The State government, under the Non-Farm Enterprises Development activities under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) towards economic empowerment of women, also took up various initiatives such as paddy procurement, enterprise financing and rural startup promotion, Startup Village Entrepreneurship Program (SVEP) and marketing of Self-Help Group (SHG) products.
According to SERP officials, SHG members were encouraged to start ‘Micro Enterprises’ using local resources, community investment funds and community enterprise funds. Skill training, handholding and marketing support were provided by the State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) to SHG members for setting up micro-enterprises, they informed.
According to the Socio-Economic Survey report released recently by the State government, under SVEP, which was being implemented in Nagarkurnool, Mulugu, Rangareddy, Sangareddy, Narayanpet, Nalgonda, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Adilabad, Siddipet and Warangal districts, 11,171 units have been established so far.
Similarly, the Village Organisations promoted by SERP procured 20.19 lakh metric tonnes of paddy worth Rs 4,132.23 cr from 3.23 lakh farmers as per MSP (Minimum Support Price) during 2022-23 through 1,479 paddy procurement centres established across the State. The Village Organisations earned a commission of Rs 64.63 crore through paddy procurement.
Under the Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY), which facilitates SHG women to avail of interest-free loans for carrying out transportation activities as their livelihoods, 85 vehicles worth Rs 2.55 crore were given to SHGs till December 31.
The State government through the Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society (SARAS) has been facilitating and motivating the SHGs to exhibit and sell their products. Nearly 150 SHG members from Telangana and 200 members from other States regularly participate in the events.
On average, 20-40 SHG members from the State participate in the SARAS mela conducted by other States. During the 2022-23 Saras fair at People’s Plaza, Rs 288.36 lakh worth of products were sold by State SHGs.