Eatala Rajender demands release of arrears to SHGs

Hyderabad: Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajender on Sunday told the State government not to hit or dilute the women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Telangana. He demanded the government to immediately release arrears it owed to SHGs. Referring to claims that it is a rich government, Eatala said it would be not proper not release arrears of SHGs.

Speaking to the media, Eatala said SHGs play an important role in rural areas, adding that no work was possible in rural areas unless it has they have support of women. He told the government that the condition of 18,000 VOLs are very poor.

The MLA said while the Andhra Pradesh government was giving Rs.10,000 as salary to VOLs, the State was giving only Rs.3,900 as salary. He made it clear that SHGs were formed to achieve women's empowerment.

Stating that some districts, like Karimnagar, Mahbubnagar, Warangal and Adilabad, were backward, he said the Centre used to pay seven percent interest on the principal amount of Rs.3 lakh to SHGs, the State used to pay the remaining amount of interest. He demanded the government to pay interest to other districts, adding that the State owed Rs.3,000 crore towards interest to SHGs.

Claiming that the Centre was generous to SHGs, Eatala said the new GO issued by the government to benefit SHGs was not yet implemented while noting that the Centre has given the opportunity of availing Rs.20 lakh loan for SHGs, which don't have any problems. He said the Centre had increased the loan amount from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh.

The legislator alleged that the government had not yet released revolving fund to newly constituted 64,000 SHGs. He said the credit for giving a revolving fund of Rs.15,000 each to new SHGs went to the Centre. He criticised that the State would talk about SHGs whenever there is an election in the State.