Industries and Commerce Minister T.G. Bharath said that the State government will support women in becoming industrialists. He said that women, who come up with business ideas and projects, would be encouraged by the State government, as well as the TGV Group.

Mr. Bharath was speaking at the closing ceremony of ‘pauSHEtik’, a women entrepreneurship development programme in millet-based baking, held at the Vibhu Parinaya Hall in Kurnool under the joint efforts of the Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs of India, Andhra Pradesh Chapter (COWE) and the Australian Consulate-General, Chennai.

The Minister said that land was available in the Orvakal Industrial Area and efforts to allocate land would be taken up, if any women entrepreneur came forward with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on setting up food processing industries. Mr. Bharath emphasised the need for women to sustain financially and added that there were several women in Kurnool city itself eking out livelihood by making beedis.

He appreciated the voluntary organisations which came forward to train women in preparing millet-based products. Mr. Bharath also said that a food park would be set up in Kurnool for women. Later, the Minister had a look at the cakes, pizzas and other items prepared by women using millets. He also gave away certificates to those women who completed their training in millet-based baking.

Australian Consul-General in Chennai, Silai Zaki, said that it was a pleasure to provide millet food processing skill development to a lot of women and that in the future, women can also export their nutritious food products to Australia under a Free Trade Agreement.

Meanwhile, COWE national director Suman Kumar said that more women will be trained on millet products. She said that if millets can be included in the diet regularly, the health of the family will improve, and the children will grow up to be strong.

It is a pleasure to see all the aspiring women from Kurnool, Yemmiganur and Pathikonda taking advantage of the training opportunity on millet baking skills. Women should realise that their families and society will develop only with financial self-reliance, said COWE India national secretary Aparna and joint secretary Radhika Chowdhury.

COWE Andhra Pradesh president Yarlagadda Geetha Srikanth said that awareness would be created on ways for women to become self-employed, as well as on bank loans so that they may stand on their own feet. MEPMA members, COWE India members Kavita, Rama, Kiran Sudha, and others participated in this programme.