CMEY programme transforms their lives

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JUNE 6. Just a year ago, they were running around for work, but today they are standing on their own feet. With their feet firmly on the ground now, they are all set to fly and reach the skies in their own fields.

For hundreds of unemployed youth in the city, the Chief Minister's Empowerment of Youth (CMEY) programme has helped in realising their dreams - a dream of setting up their own business.

One such dreamer and achiever is Prabhavati. A post-graduate in commerce, she was just one unrecognisable face in the thousands in the old city. But thanks to the CMEY, she has not only achieved what she dreamt, but by leading a team of people in a successful venture, set up under the CMEY, she has paved the way for hundreds to follow.

In an unique attempt, 18 CMEY groups of the city have come under one roof and started a super bazar in Moosarambagh. With all the 90 members of the group as equal partners, the group has carved a niche for itself in the super bazar business in the city. To supply quality goods, the members themselves prepare all the house-hold items. They have also introduced `Supply on dial' facility.

"Give a ring to us and the goods would be at your door step. Don't worry about the quality as they are made by housewives," says the modest leader of this group. Out of the 1,112 groups that got financial assistance from the Government last year under the CMEY, this cluster of 18 groups is the most impressive one, according to the Hyderabad Collector, Mr. Bhanwarlal.

A tour to several such units reflected how people have utilised the opportunity. If five highly educated youth have set up a software development institute, a young man is weaving magic on sarees while a group headed by a widow is teaching the nuances of beauty.

However, there are some blacksheep among these hard-working people, who have misused the funds by simply vanishing. Mr. Bhanwarlal says out of the 1,112 groups set up last year, 59 were found to be non-existing while 100 units were found to be performing below expectations.

The Collector said criminal cases have been filed against the absconding and the amount would be recovered under the Revenue Recovery Act. For the groups under-performing, special training would be given in their concerned fields, he said.

Mr. Bhanwarlal said that for the year 2000-2001 too, 1,125 groups had been identified for distribution of Rs. 7 crores. An amount of Rs. 3.5 crores was received which would be distributed among the selected groups in a few days. Mr. G. Janardhan Reddy, District Youth Welfare Officer was also present.

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