Date:12/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/12/stories/2008051253770500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

State keen to fulfil promises made to women

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy said on Sunday that the Congress government was determined to fulfil all the promises that had been made to the women particularly the self-help group members. Stating that the government had begun a silent revolution to help the SHG members, Dr. Reddy said the government had taken a vow on the Mothers Day to extend loans to the tune of Rs. 18,000 crore this year to the thrift groups.

He said what the previous government could not do had been achieved by the present regime, which not only brought down the interest rates on the loans to the thrift groups from 12 per cent to three but also initiated several other measures.

He said the government could take pride in the fact that 40 per cent of the total loans forwarded to the women groups in the country went to those from the State.