Role of women vital to States progress

VIZIANAGARAM: Director, Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) K Bhaskar held a meeting with Self Help Groups and bank-linkage groups and discussed various issues with them on Saturday.During a visit to District Mahila Samakhya here, he verified their records.During his interaction with the SHGs, Bhaskar said women empowerment was necessary for development of any State. The government has sanctioned funds for empowerment of the women in addition to providing training in various activities. He asked the mahila samakhya members about the loans being taken from the banks and the amounts deposited.At the meeting with bank-linkage groups, he said the government is providing bank-linkage to the women to help them become economically independent. He advised the members of the Samakhya to utilise the loans issued by banks in this regard.He also visited the DVD shop opened by a woman beneficiary of bank-linkage programme and congratulated its owner T Krishna.Additional Director, MEPMA, Ramesh Babu, specialist of MEPMA G Savithri and Regional Director, Municipal Administration, Asha Jyothi were present.