Sat Mar 08 16:01:57 UTC 2025: ## Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Launches Initiatives to Empower Women Entrepreneurs

**Ongole, Andhra Pradesh –** Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has announced ambitious plans to boost women’s entrepreneurship in the state, aiming to create one lakh women entrepreneurs within the next year. The announcement was made during the state-level International Women’s Day celebrations in Markapuram on Saturday.

The initiative involves several key partnerships and schemes. The state government signed MoUs with 24 organizations to provide self-employment opportunities and financial assistance to women through the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Mission For Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA), and the MSME sector. This includes partnerships with companies like Rapido (ride-hailing), Flipkart (e-commerce), and various organizations to provide training and marketing support.

Specific targets include supporting 30,000 women through MEPMA, partnering 10,000 with Rapido, and creating opportunities in tourism, hospitality (Thrupti Hotels), street vending, and the MSME sector. A significant investment will also be made in providing free sewing machines and offering subsidized loans.

The Chief Minister highlighted the importance of women’s economic empowerment, citing his wife’s example of successfully managing their business while he pursued politics. He emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting women’s growth as entrepreneurs and industrialists. The government also launched initiatives like the Handloom Raths program, providing free yarn and vans to support handloom weavers, as well as a gratuity scheme for Anganwadi workers and ASHA workers. Financial aid totaling billions of rupees was also distributed to women through various loan schemes.

The multi-pronged approach focuses on skill development, access to finance, and market linkages, aiming to significantly improve the economic standing of women in Andhra Pradesh.

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