The Andhra Pradesh Government is according the highest importance to the empowerment of women through the Sthreenidhi scheme. The scheme which has been implemented, till now in the rural areas, has gained much prominence and the Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy at Hyderabad on Tuesday announced the extension of the scheme to the urban women through the urban-based Self Help Groups (SHGs) in 120 towns across the State.

The decision to this effect shall be taken in the next Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) board meeting. The CM further elaborated that Rs.1,000 Cr fund would be allocated for empowering the urban SHGs under the scheme and similarly ‘Mahila Samkhya Bhavans' will be constructed in these towns spending Rs.25 lakh each.

Overwhelmed by the success of his Rachabanda program, held at L. B. Nagar, the CM spelt out, a slew of projects implemented benefitting the Ranga Reddy district.

It may be noted that earlier CM said that the government has decided to form this society with a corpus fund of Rs.1000 Cr to give freedom to women from the harassment of the micro finance firms which are exploiting them.