Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka launched a scathing attack on the BRS government, accusing it of pushing women self-help groups (SHGs) into financial distress.Addressing a public meeting at Parade Ground in Secunderabad on the occasion of the state government’s International Women’s Day celebrations, he criticised the BRS regime for accumulating a debt of Rs.7 lakh crore over ten years without allocating even a single rupee to women SHGs.He stressed the Congress government’s vision of empowering one crore women to become ‘crorepatis’. He pointed out that during its decade-long rule, the BRS government had failed to support women’s progress or development of DWCRA groups. In contrast, he recalled the Congress government’s efforts in the united Andhra Pradesh (2004-2014), which prioritised women’s financial independence through interest-free loans and protection measures.Highlighting the negligence by the BRS government, he said it completely ignored the IKP (Indira Kranthi Patham) scheme, a vital initiative for women’s empowerment launched during the united Andhra Pradesh era.” Women believed that their aspirations would be realised under ‘Indiramma Rajyam’ (Indira’s rule), and the Congress government is now fulfilling those hopes,” he asserted.Bhatti defended the Congress government’s commitment to women’s welfare, citing Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s announcement of the Rs.20,000 crore interest-free loan scheme. He criticised the opposition BRS for mocking the initiative and questioning its feasibility.“This is not just a promise but a commitment backed by a strong will and determination,” he stated, adding that the government is also guiding women on how to utilise loans effectively for business ventures.Apart from financial aid, the Congress government has taken significant steps to empower women, including free RTC bus travel and making women owners of these buses. He claimed that nowhere else in India has there been an initiative like purchasing 600 buses through women’s federations.Under the new energy policy, the government has involved women’s SHGs in solar power production, signing a MoU for 1,000 MW of solar power generation. “It’s not just industrial giants like Ambani and Adani investing in solar power—Telangana’s women are now making history by producing solar energy,” he remarked.He also pointed out that under BRS rule, women were burdened with high-interest loans of up to 110 per cent, whereas the Congress government has ensured Rs.21,000 crore in interest-free loans to guarantee their financial security. To support marketing of products made by SHGs, the government has allocated prime space in Hyderabad’s Hitec City and established a ‘DWCRA bazaar.’Furthermore, the Congress government has introduced initiatives such as ‘Amma Adarsha Pathashala’ (Mother’s Model Schools), transferring government school management to women’s committees. The launch of ‘Mahila Shakti Canteens’ and giving contracts to stitch uniforms to women will bolster their economic independence.He asserted that the Congress government envisions women living with dignity, akin to ‘Mahalakshmi,’ and that this vision embodies ‘Indiramma Rajyam.’ He criticised former finance minister T. Harish Rao, claiming that while he amassed wealth, he failed to allocate even Rs.10,000 crore to women’s SHGs.Dismissing opposition claims, Bhatti maintained that the Congress government is utilising financial resources for public welfare, while opposition leaders are resorting to baseless allegations. He accused the BRS leadership of sending their children abroad for education while neglecting the schooling needs of underprivileged children in Telangana.Urging all sections of society—farmers, unemployed youth, and women—to support the Congress-led administration, Bhatti declared, “Telangana has suffered a decade of feudal exploitation. We must not allow such governance to return. Let’s uphold ‘Indiramma Rajyam,’ which truly works for the welfare of the poor.”
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