16-07-2025
AP aims at creating 30,000 new women entrepreneurs
Tadepalli: The state government is committed to economically empower women and cultivate them into successful entrepreneurs, said principal secretary, municipal administration and urban development, S Suresh Kumar. Following Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's directives, the government is aiming at creating over 30,000 women entrepreneurs this financial year, transforming them into business owners with a turnover of Rs 1 crore.
Suresh Kumar addressed the state-level Livelihoods and Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme (LEAP) organised by Mission for Eradication of Poverty in Municipal Areas (Mepma) here on Tuesday.
He said that the LEAP programme is instrumental in strengthening women financially by unearthing their entrepreneurial skills and molding them into formidable business leaders. Mppma's efforts in this regard are invaluable.
He also addressed a common misconception among many women that participating in the LEAP audit would disqualify their families from government welfare schemes. He reassured them that this is not true.
Mempa managing director N Tej Bharat urged Mempa staff to work tirelessly to financially empower women and help them achieve recognition as business owners. He stressed that merely providing loans is not enough; staff must also offer advice and support for their business growth.
Tej Bharat announced that the LEAP audit is in its final stages in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Tirupati corporations. He clarified that the audit aims at equipping women entrepreneurs with advanced business insights and encourage them.
Several women entrepreneurs shared their experiences. Deepti Reddy from Vijayawada recounted her journey, stating she started a boutique with a Rs 2 lakh DWCRA loan and now employs 12 people, paying approximately Rs 5 lakh in salaries monthly.
Ramadevi from Vijayawada, who established a semi-cooked chapati industry, expressed her joy at earning a stable monthly income. Hyma, another entrepreneur from Vijayawada, shared that she began a saree manufacturing unit with a Rs 60,000 DWCRA loan and has now achieved a turnover of Rs 3 crore.
India SME Forum president Vinod Kumar, director general Sushma Mortania, Mepma additional Mission Director Naga Venkateswara Rao Kotipalli, project directors from all districts, India SME Forum director - training, skill and incubation, Bhavya Sharma, along with Mepma city Mission Managers, Cos participated.
