Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu inaugurated several development projects on Wednesday, including a solar power plant operated by women's self-help groups (SHGs) under the Indira Mahila Shakti scheme. The plant, located at Venkatapuram village in Errupalem mandal of Madhira constituency in Khammam district, was launched along with Panchayat Raj Minister Dansari Anasuya.
Government's Commitment to Women's Welfare
Speaking on the occasion, Vikramarka said the people's government considers women as "Mahalakshmis" and is extending numerous facilities for their welfare. Large-scale interest-free loans are being provided to women's SHGs. The government is also entrusting women's groups with the management of petrol bunks, solar power plants, canteens, and turmeric boiler plants, he added.
He further stated that the government has decided to enable women's groups to purchase buses and lease them to the Road Transport Corporation (RTC). In addition to allotting shops for women's products in premium areas like Madhapur, the government has performed groundbreaking ceremonies simultaneously for 8,000 women's SHG buildings across the state.
Financial Support for Women's Groups
Vikramarka said the government has decided to provide approximately Rs 20,000 crore worth of interest-free loans annually to women's groups. Over the next two-and-a-half years, the target is to facilitate nearly Rs 1 lakh crore in bank loans for women's SHGs. He noted that around Rs 66,000 crore in loans had already been provided to women over the past two-and-a-half years.
The solar power plant inaugurated at Venkatapuram village in Errupalem mandal would generate an income of Rs 14,000 to Rs 15,000 per day for the women's groups, amounting to nearly Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per month. The government has not only allotted land for these projects but is also providing subsidies. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have been signed to ensure DISCOMs purchase the electricity generated, the Deputy CM said.
Expansion of Solar Power
The Deputy CM said the government intends to establish similar solar power plants in every district and aims to generate 20,000 MW of solar power in the state by 2030. Earlier, interest-free loans for women's groups were limited to Rs 5 lakh, but the present government has increased the limit to Rs 10 lakh. He stated that women's groups managing grain procurement centres, petrol bunks, and storage facilities would help achieve economic self-sufficiency. There are plans to construct warehouses on government land for grain storage under the management of women's groups.
Green Energy Vision
Bhatti Vikramarka stated that women's groups are being made partners in transforming the state toward green energy. As part of this initiative, the Rs 3 crore solar power project built at Venkatapuram in Errupalem mandal has been handed over to women's SHGs. He said that electricity demand in the state has increased significantly compared to last year. Peak demand, which stood at 15,000 MW in 2023–24, has now risen to 18,485 MW. Despite this sharp rise, uninterrupted power supply is being maintained through advance planning, he informed.
He stressed the need to reduce thermal power dependence and increase renewable energy sources like solar power to ensure a pollution-free environment. He also appealed to farmers not to burn crop residue after harvest, warning that it increases air pollution and poses risks to nearby fields and homes. Bhatti Vikramarka said the government's goal is to help women's SHG members become financially strong and create "one crore women millionaires," assuring that the government is ready to extend all the necessary financial support.
