13 DWCRA Federations awarded – The Hindu

Thirteen Self-Help (DWCRA) Federations were awarded on the concluding day of the two-day national conference of Self-Help Group Federations and FPOs, organised on Friday by Hyderabad-based voluntary organisation APMAS.

Telangana State Planning Board Vice-Chairman G. Chinna Reddy presented the awards to the winners. This is the fifth consecutive year APMAS presented the national awards, the voluntary organisation said in a release.

Sai Krupa Mandal Federation from Kamalapur mandal of Hanamkonda district secured the first place at the national level. The second and third positions were bagged by federations from Jharkhand.

At the South Regional level, the Mandal Federations from Nizamabad district secured the first and second places. Additionally, awards were presented to federations selected as best performers across various regional levels.

More than 200 SHG (DWCRA) Federation leaders, bankers, development sector experts and representatives from organisations concerned from 17 States attended the conference held at Dr. Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute.

Mr. Chinna Reddy said that Telangana has around 60 lakh women in Self-Help Groups and this number is expected to touch 1 crore. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s vision is to make all of them crorepatis and the government is working in that direction.

Governing Body Chairman K. Madhava Rao expressed concern that though family incomes were on the rise due to SHGs and federations, the earnings of women are often getting drained on account of men’s drinking habits. He said it is painful to see even 15-year-olds getting addicted to alcohol and domestic violence remaining an unresolved issue. He urged women’s groups and federations to fight against these social issues.