Hyderabad, April 16: Emphasising the need for providing education to girls, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Friday called upon parents to change their mindset and treat their daughters on par with their sons.
He also urged parents and teachers to play a vital role in creating awareness among children about social evils like dowry and eve-teasing.
Launching the ‘Sabla’ scheme here on Friday, Kiran Kumar Reddy said the Central government’s scheme is aimed at empowering adolescent girls in the age group of 11 and 18 years.
The scheme also includes a complete nutrition programme for adolescent girls. “The state government is providing necessary support to women through various schemes including self-help groups and 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies,” he added.
The chief minister said that the state government has provided loans worth Rs 9,000 crore to about one crore women members of SHGs through banks and about 98 per cent of these loans are repaid on time.
He recalled the success story of SHGs in Chittoor district where the Indira Kranthi Patham women groups have revived the cooperative dairy farm and prevented it from permanent closure.
“Women succeeded where even the government failed to revive the dairy farming and ensured that farmers get Rs 14 per litre milk that they supplied as against the meagre amount of Rs 6 per litre they were being paid earlier,” he said.
Ministers G Aruna Kumari and V Sunitha Lakshma Reddy were present.
‘AP right destination for industrial growth’
Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Friday reiterated that welfare and development are the two eyes of his government.
Stating that progress in both agriculture and industrial sectors is equally important for development of the state, he invited investors to set up their companies in the state and become a part of the state’s development.
He also called on the industrialist to lend a helping hand for the underprivileged.
Inaugurating the fourth Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) conference at HICC here on Friday, Kiran Kumar Reddy said that Andhra Pradesh is the right destination for industrial growth.
He said the state has good human resources and the government is very proactive. “We are ready to change our policy for establishing any mega industry in the state,” he added.
–Agencies