The State government unveiled major schemes to support women entrepreneurs on International Women’s Day on Wednesday.
These include raising the loan limit for women under the ‘We-Mission Kerala’ initiative of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) Ltd. to ₹50 lakh from ₹25 lakh with a 5% interest from April 1.
Announcing the decision at a women entrepreneurs’ meet organised by the Department of Industries and Commerce here on Wednesday, Minister for Industries P. Rajeeve said the doubling of the loan amount would help women entrepreneurs under the ‘We-Mission Kerala’ project to scale up their businesses.
The moratorium period under the scheme would be raised to one year from the current six months, the Minister said. He also announced a composite grant of ₹5 lakh for women cooperative societies.
The Minister said that from April 1 women entrepreneurs could avail themselves of the facilities at the incubation centre at Kozhikode by giving 50% rent.
Minister for Social Justice R. Bindu said the government and society had the responsibility for ensuring a hurdle-free life for the differently abled. There needed to be a change of social attitudes, she said at a seminar on ‘Empowerment of differently abled women’ at Government College for Women here.
Conditions should be created for women to enter political power centres, law-making process, arts and cultural sector, and public spaces, Minister for Culture Saji Cherian said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the Women’s Day celebrations as part of the Culture department’s ‘Samam’ programme. He also inaugurated the production of the film ‘Victoria’ directed by J. Sivaranjini and produced by Kerala State Film Development Corporation as part of a State government project for women filmmakers.
Minister for Local Self-government M.B. Rajesh said only if the Kudumbashree’s Haritha Karma Sena was strengthened could the goal of a waste-free Kerala be achieved. Nearly 1,000 tonnes of plastic waste was removed in the last financial year by the nearly 28,000 Haritha Karma Sena members, he said, at the inauguration of a get-together of Haritha Karma Sena members and the ‘Dheeram’ karate training for women in connection with Women’s Day. He gave away the keys to e-rickshaws being handed over by the ICICI Foundation using its CSR funds to Haritha Karma Sena members.
Women entrepreneurs were honoured at KINFRA Apparel Park, Menamkulam, at a function inaugurated by Thiruvananthapuram Assistant Collector Riya Singh. Apparel Park chief executive officer Jeeva Anandan presided. Entrepreneurs Aparna Poduval, Gladys Joseph, Karthika Sugunan, Liji Mathew, Sabina Siraj, Salini S.S., Shubhamani, and Zeenath Ismail were honoured.
International Women’s Day was celebrated at ICAR- Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Sreekariyam. Inaugurating the celebrations, Chief Conservator of Forests Silpa V. Kumar stressed the need to reduce the digital divide among marginalised women. CTCRI director G. Byju, who presided, announced that a research excellence award would be instituted for women employees of CTCRI next year.
Published - March 08, 2023 11:07 pm IST
