The Hindu        14.03.2011

Corporation doles out aid to women's groups

One for the album: Prominent women of Vijayawada who were felicitated by the municipal corporation in Vijayawada on Sunday. — PHOTO: CH.VIJAYA BHASKAR

The Makineni Basava Punnaiah mini stadium in Singhnagar bustled with activity on Sunday. A steady stream of people poured in from all directions to be part of the International Women's Day celebrations organised on a grand scale by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

The corporation doled out aid, in cash and other forms of assistance worth Rs. 15.51 crore to a total number of 10,970 beneficiaries under various welfare schemes.

Minister for Secondary Education Kolusu Parthasaradhy utilised the occasion to assert the Congress Government's stand on the issue of woman welfare. He said allegations surfacing from certain quarters that the State was trying to dilute the welfare schemes introduced by the former chief minister, the late Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, were baseless. Reiterating that the ultimate aim of the Congress Government was to empower women in all spheres, he sought to substantiate the claim by pointing to the fact that the Rs. 215 crore released for self-help groups in 2008-09 under the paavala vaddi scheme had been enhanced to Rs. 450 crore this year. Stating that the Krishna district alone had bagged funds to the tune of Rs. 18.5 crore, the Minister said the Congress under able leadership of Sonia Gandhi at the Centre would always give priority to welfare of the masses.

Mr. Parthasaradhy also complimented the corporation authorities for making apt use of the occasion of Women's Day.

Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu said it was the right occasion to pay glowing tributes to the former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who had introduced a slue of welfare schemes for women. He said the fact that the country had a woman President and the State had a woman Home Minister and a number of others occupying key posts in different walks of life, only goes to prove that women empowerment was among top priorities of the ruling parties.

The corporation also felicitated 25 women from various walks of life for their achievement in their respective fields.

Later, certificates of placement linked training programmes were given to 500 self-help group members, besides release of funds for beneficiaries of

Swarna Jayanthi Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), Deepam scheme, Indira Kranthi Padhakam, Dwcra group members and street hawkers of Besant Road.

Municipal Commissioner G. Ravibabu, former Mayors M.V. Ratna Bindu, Tadi Sakuntala and Mallika Begum and others were on the dais.