APBW Corporation striving to help poor Brahmins

Tirupati: Mannem Padmavathi, who was struggling to maintain her family,including her aged mother, never dreamt of any financial help to starta small business for her living.

With her meagre earning as cook, the woman, who is in her fifties found the maintenance of her family very difficult and was longing to start asmall business to improve income. She triedher best to get loan from banks but in vain while her siblings are alsonot financially sound to support her.

Against the gloomy backdrop, luck smiled at her in the form a familyfriend, who took her to AP Brahmin Cooperative Credit Society Coordinator Hanumantha Rao, and she got a group loan ofRs 45,000 under ‘Arundati’ scheme.

She set up an ‘Instant Wet RiceGrinder’ at her home in Ramachandra Nagar here. “Now, my earning is enough to maintain my family and I am able to buy medicines to my mother,’’ she said.

Another woman Paluri Padmavathi, a commercial artist availed Rs 10 lakhloan under ‘Chanakya’ scheme of AP Brahmin Welfare Corporation todevelop her existing Kalamkari production Centre in Srikalahasti.“The loan from Brahmin Corporation gave me a new lease of life and enables me to take up large production to have more business and also employmentto ten women,’’ she says with smiling.

Loans under Chanakya scheme was given to 43 persons with a total of about Rs70 lakh for self-employment while 67 group loans at lower interestswere also provided under ‘Arundati’ scheme benefitting about 200 Brahminwomen in Chittoor district.

Another beneficiary Chiranjeevi got Rs 10 lakh from the AP Brahmin WelfareCorporation for studying abroad. His father D Balasubramanyam, a priest in Srikalahasti temple, speaking to The Hans India turnedemotional while narrating his failed attempts to get loan from banks.

“My son was in dejected mood after I failed to arrange him the moneyfor his study. At last, the Brahmin Corporationhelped my son to realise his dream,” heaverred.

The government set up the AP Brahmin Welfare Corporation in December2014 and later AP Brahmin Credit Cooperative SocietyinOctober 2015 to work closely with the Brahmin Corporation to supplement its efforts inextending loans to the poor people among Brahmin community.

TheAP Brahmin Welfare Corporation is implementing seven differentschemes Gayathri, Bharathi,Vasista, Dronacharya, Chanakya, Kasyapa and Garuda while CreditSociety is meant for only group loans Arundati and Vasishta schemes formen and women separately.