Bhatti Inaugurates solar plant managed by women SHGs

Hyderabad: Deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu on Wednesday inaugurated several development works on Wednesday, and along with panchayat raj minister Dansari Anasuya, launched a solar power plant operated by women’s self-help groups (SHGs) under the Indira Mahila Shakti scheme at Venkatapuram village in Errupalem mandal of Madhira constituency in Khammam district.He said the people’s govt considers women as “Mahalakshmis” and is extending several facilities for their welfare. Large-scale interest-free loans are being provided to women’s self-help groups. The govt is also entrusting women’s groups with the management of petrol bunks, solar power plants, canteens, and turmeric boiler plants, he added.He further stated that the govt has decided to enable women’s groups to purchase buses and lease them to RTC. In addition to allotting shops for women’s products in premium areas like Madhapur, the govt has also performed groundbreaking ceremonies simultaneously for 8,000 women’s SHG buildings across the state.Vikramarka said the govt has decided to provide around ₹20,000 crore worth of interest-free loans annually to women’s groups. Over the next two-and-a-half years, the target is to facilitate nearly ₹1 lakh crore in bank loans for women’s self-help groups. He said that around ₹66,000 crore in loans had already been provided to women over the past two-and-a-half years.He said the solar power plant inaugurated at Venkatapuram village in Errupalem mandal would generate an income of ₹14,000 to ₹15,000 per day for the women’s groups, amounting to nearly ₹4.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh per month.The govt has not only allotted land for these projects but is also providing subsidies. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have been signed to ensure DISCOMs purchase the electricity generated, the deputy CM said.The deputy CM said the govt intends to establish similar solar power plants in every district and aims to generate 20,000 MW of solar power in the state by 2030.Earlier, interest-free loans for women’s groups were limited to ₹5 lakh, but the present govt has increased the limit to ₹10 lakh. He stated that women’s groups managing grain procurement centres, petrol bunks, and storage facilities would help achieve economic self-sufficiency. There are plans to construct warehouses on govt land for grain storage under the management of women’s groups.Green energy visionBhatti Vikramarka stated that women’s groups are being made partners in transforming the state toward green energy. As part of this initiative, the ₹3 crore solar power project built at Venkatapuram in Errupalem mandal has been handed over to women’s self-help groups.He said that electricity demand in the state has increased significantly compared to last year. Peak demand, which stood at 15,000 MW in 2023–24, has now risen to 18,485 MW. Despite this sharp rise, uninterrupted power supply is being maintained through advance planning, he informed.He stressed the need to reduce thermal power dependence and increase renewable energy sources like solar power to ensure a pollution-free environment. He also appealed to farmers not to burn crop residue after harvest, warning that it increases air pollution and poses risks to nearby fields and homes.Bhatti Vikramarka said the govt’s goal is to help women’s SHG members become financially strong and create “one crore women millionaires,” assuring that the govt is ready to extend all the necessary financial support.