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Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Dec. 5

AFTER empowering babus up to the mandal level with cellular phones, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, has announced plans to provide DWCRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas) women self help groups with 30,000 mobile phones by the end of December, 2003.

Addressing a press conference here in the State Secretariat, Mr Naidu said that the State Government has decided to further empower these women self help groups (SHGs), as these phones apart from helping them connect across various markets from remote villages, will also serve as a community phone. While State will provide them with handsets, a rental of about Rs 150 a month, should be borne by the user.

The entrepreneurial skills and the power of these DWCRA women needs to be harnessed and it can only be achieved by providing them the necessary support infrastructure and encouragement.

In addition to cellular phones, measures like increase in the exemption limit on sales tax from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, reducing the interest burden from 8 per cent to four per cent by meeting half of the interest component through State subsidy are on.

It is estimated that there are about 4,70,000 DWCRA self help groups in the State which have about 65 lakh members. These groups touch the poorest of the poor in the State and through a thrift movement have managed to generate a revolving fund of Rs 1,600 crore and this is likely to cross the Rs 2000 mark in the next few months. This is mind-boggling and reflects the spirit of women in terms of their ability to generate so much enthusiasm and team spirit, he said.

"At the request of the State Government, Andhra Bank has brought down the lending rate for these groups from a high of about 13 per cent few years ago to about 8 per cent now.

This will be applicable from January 1, 2004. Out of the eight per cent, half would be subsidised by the Government, provided they were prompt in repaying loans. Our studies indicate that the repayment level is as high as 97-98 per cent," he said.

These SHGs were producing about 450 products that can be marketed across the world through proper marketing linkages. Keeping in view the need to promote their products and make them independent, apart from training programmes, it is proposed to locate DWCRA Bazaars across the State modelled on the Rythu Bazaars, Mr Naidu said.

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