CM Lays Foundation For Women's University Campus

On the occasion of the International Women's Day, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy today laid the foundation stone for the Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women's University campus in Hyderabad.

The university was earlier known as the the University College for Women and more popularly as the Koti Women's College.

Addressing the gathering, Reddy said that dedicating a women's university to Veeranari Chakali Ilamma was a profound tribute to Telangana's rich heritage, and expressed aspirations for the university to attain international acclaim. He directed officials to expedite the construction of the new campus, setting a completion timeline of two and a half years, and assured that financial constraints would not impede the project's progress.

The CM also encouraged the students to excel across diverse fields and realise former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's vision. Exhorting them to also actively go beyond traditional roles, Reddy announced the forthcoming implementation of a 33% reservation for women in elections, and expressed hope that graduates from the university would leverage this quota to assume significant leadership positions.

The Chief Minister also said that the State was committed to fostering women's entrepreneurship, aiming to position women's Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to compete alongside industrial magnates like Adani and Ambani. Highlighting women's inherent leadership qualities, he said that they had consistently proven their dedication and emerged as role models in various sectors.

The State government is rolling out several schemes to economically empower women's SHGs. The Indira Mahila Shakti Mission integrates the achievements of women's SHGs with the government's future plans for women's empowerment. A pioneering initiative allows women's SHGs to own and operate Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses on a rental basis, with 150 buses being introduced in the first phase across select districts. This initiative aims to provide economic opportunities to women entrepreneurs and enhance their financial independence.

The government has also sanctioned Rs 1 lakh crore in interest-free loans for women, with the ambitious goal of transforming one crore women SHG members into millionaires over the next five years. To facilitate the marketing of products crafted by these groups, 100 stalls are being established near Shilparamam in Hyderabad's Hi-Tech City, providing SHG women with platforms to showcase and sell their products.