YSR Worked For Woman Empowerment

  • Effort for woman empowerment
  • Schemes for develoment of DWCRA groups
  • Pension for aged widows
  • Fees reimbursement for poor students

Dr.YS Rajasekhar Reddy started every speech by first greeting the woman folk saying "Namasthe Akkayya, Namasthe Chellemmaa" (Greetings to my sisters). He was acclaimed as a women-friendly CM through the welfare schemes he introduced in their benefit. He earned an honourable place in women's hearts through the service he did to them.

Financial assistance

YSR believed that a household would be happy if the women of the family were happy. Respecting the talent shown by women in taking care of the house, he made sure to make them partners in financial development of the society too. DWCRA groups were already taking form in villages of the state at that time but there was not enough support to them. He then decided to offer loans to the groups for interest as less as 0.25%. This decision was very crucial in attaining woman empowerment. Regulations regarding sanction of loans were eased. By taking these loans, the organisations achieved development. In the first phase, almost Rs.16,535 crore was sanctioned as loans. The scheme saw even better development after the second phase began.

Encouragement of self-sufficiency

YSR used to wish for financial independence of women. Hence, he encouraged woman industrialists by giving loans. He saw that an organisation was formed in the name of Confederation of Woman Entrepreneurs. Units were established everywhere. Representatives of various organisations used to give training. Telugu women were 42% of the women receiving micro loans in the whole country, due to the effort of YSR.

Encouragement to girl students

YSR dreamed about girls being educated in every household. He arranged for free buses for girl students to enable them to travel to far off areas for education if needed. He sanctioned bicycles for going to nearby educational institutions. He initiated 'Badi Baata' programme to make the girls who withdrew from education to come back to schools. The Government held special drive in every village to prompt such girls to go back to schools. He offered laptop computers to encourage girls of minority sections to study. Girls of backward sections could continue their education through fees reimbursement scheme.

Support to the elderly women

Through Indira Kranthi scheme, YSR introduced a novel life insurance. This scheme offered Rs.500 - Rs.2,200 of pension to all women above 60 years of age. Their families also could receive assistance and insurance. This this scheme received less response initially, it later gathered popularity. Almost 1,25,000 people were benefited through the scheme. If women lacking any support could have something to eat, it was due to YSR.

Assistance to families

YSR encouraged sanction of ration cards with women's names. Though this scheme was not directly intended to benefit women, they could collect commodities enough for their families through this. When the centre imposed burden on gas cylinders, YSR announced that the state Government would bear it. He enabled women with crafts and hand works to get small scale loans. When handloom loans were waived, lakhs of women were delighted. In the implementation of schemes like Pasu Kranthi and insurance for the sheep and rural employment scheme, women were given utmost importance.

YSR used to know the extent of implementation of Government's welfare schemes from time to time. He chose to know such things from women. When he went to public meetings, he used to invite women on to the dais. From their feedback, he used to make changes to the schemes as required.

Place in politics

Even in the political field, he gave huge prominence to women. Six women had ministries in his cabinet. Until then, only small departments like rural development and woman and child development used to be given to women. But YDR gave the home department, Panchayati Raj department and large scale industries to them. he is to be credited for appointing a woman as Home minister for the first time in the history of the state.

YSR used to aspire to make one crore women as millionaires. This itself shows how committed he was towards woman empowerment.

 

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