Uttam fires SHG fund diversion salvo at govt

​Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday has alleged that the State government has diverted funds meant for women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Addressing a gathering of women associated with DWCRA groups at Indira Bhavan, Uttam said that the activities of Development of Women and children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) groups came to a halt ever since TRS came to power in Telangana. He said that the previous Congress regimes have encouraged and funded DWCRA groups for the financial empowerment of women in rural areas. They were provided interest-free loans for setting up household industries and other economic activities.

The TPCC chief said that the present State government has discontinued the Abhaya Hastham scheme which was meant to provide pension to members of SHGs. Further, he said that nearly 50 lakh women had contributed Rs 360 each towards scheme. However, the TRS government has diverted those funds for other purposes. 

Stating that the Congress party was all set to come to power in next elections, the TPCC chief assured that the next government would revive Abhaya Hastham and members of SHGs would be paid a monthly pension of Rs 1,000. He said that a revolving fund of Rs 1 lakh would be given to each SHG in the State. He said each SHG would be permitted to get a bank loan of Rs 10 lakh for which the interest will be paid by the government. 

He also promised that the next Congress government would construct new buildings for SHGs by spending Rs 15 lakh in villages and Rs 30 lakh in mandals. He also announced that each member of women SHG would be given free life insurance cover of Rs 2.5 lakh for natural death and Rs 5 lakh for accidental death. He said the amount for performing last rites would be increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.

About 52 lakh women are associated with nearly 4.5 lakh SHGs in rural areas, while 15 lakh women are members of 1.5 lakh SHGs in urban areas. Overall, Uttam said that the next Congress government would take measures for economic empowerment of nearly 70 lakh members of SHGs in the State. He appealed the women to teach a fitting lesson to KCR who humiliated women on multiple occasions.