AP to Promote Five Lakh Women Entrepreneurs

VIJAYAWADA: Marking International Women’s Day, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday announced that Andhra Pradesh would aim to create six lakh women entrepreneurs by next year.

The International Women’s Day celebrations were held officially for the first time in Amaravati. Addressing a gathering, the CM said the government has prepared a comprehensive blueprint aimed at accelerating women’s empowerment and economic participation.

“One lakh women had already been transformed into entrepreneurs in the last one year. The number would soon reach six lakh, making AP the state with the highest number of women entrepreneurs in the country,” he claimed.

Naidu emphasised that every household should aim to establish at least one micro, small or medium enterprise (MSME), with half of such units led by women. “Women’s participation in business is essential for strengthening the state’s economy,” he said.

Extending his greetings to women on International Women’s Day, Naidu described women as symbols of hard work, love and sacrifice. He noted that his cabinet currently has three women ministers – and that they were performing efficiently. Referring to women’s leadership at the national level, Naidu said President Droupadi Murmu is a leader from a tribal community. The Union finance minister is also a woman who presents the national Budget each year, he stressed.

“Women are in fact the real finance ministers in every household. They manage the family income wisely and ensure every rupee is used productively,” he said.

Recalling the contributions of former chief minister late N.T. Rama Rao, Naidu said the late leader was the first to ensure justice for women by granting them equal property rights, establishing Padmavathi University to promote women’s education and introducing eight per cent reservations for women in local bodies.

“During his tenure, he introduced 33 per cent reservations for women in education and employment,” he noted and said similar reservations in legislatures would soon become a reality.

The Chief Minister also highlighted that the DWCRA and MEPMA systems initiated earlier had become models for the country in economically empowering women. Under the ‘Stree Shakti’ scheme, which provides free bus travel for women, nearly five billion journeys have been undertaken so far, he said.

Naidu asserted that the joint family system remained India’s greatest strength, and urged families not to “split” over issues such as ration cards, pensions or housing benefits. “Small disputes should not break families apart. Today many elderly parents are left alone as the ageing population increases. This trend must change,” he said.

At the request of the women who organised the stalls, Naidu cut a cake to mark Women’s Day celebrations and conveyed his greetings to all the participants.

Ministers V. Anita, Savitha, Sandhya Rani, Kandula Durgesh, MLA Shravan and PVN Madhav were present.