Finance Minister T. Harish Rao said he had urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to to extend interest-free loans to all self-help groups (SHGs) across the country.
Addressing a gathering after participating in several programmes in the district on Thursday, Mr. Harish Rao said that at the meeting of Finance Ministers held in New Delhi on Wednesday there had been a discussion on the slowing down of the economy in the country and the measures needed to arrest its impact . “I have told the Union Minister that, being a woman, she should to come to the rescue of SHGs and increase the amount from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh. This would help them become self-reliant. The Minister suggested that we make this proposal along with all the Finance Ministers of the country,” said Mr. Harish Rao.
Plea to students
Mr. Harish Rao asked the students to keep the cell phones, TV and social media platforms away till the examinations were over. Speaking to students after launching the mid-day meal scheme at the Government Junior College at Bejjanki, the Minister said that better scoring needed for higher education and he asked lecturers and students to work for 100 per cent pass in the Intermediate examination. He asked the parents not to send children to agriculture work, saying mid-day meal was arranged from Thursday and snacks would be arranged from Friday.
He promised to sanction ₹40 lakh for construction of additional classrooms provided there was 100 per cent pass in the examinations.