Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu on Sunday reaffirmed the Telangana government’s commitment to women empowerment, citing expanded interest-free loan disbursals, RTC-linked economic models, and targeted micro-industrial schemes during a public meeting in Luxettipet, Mancherial district.
He said ₹21,600 crore had already been distributed in interest-free loans to women’s self-help groups, exceeding first-year targets under the Congress-led crore-women-crorepati programme. The state-wide loan distribution, scheduled from July 12 to 20, included Sunday’s disbursals in Mancherial.
Bhatti criticised the former BRS regime for discontinuing the zero-interest loan initiative, first introduced by earlier Congress governments. He said the scheme had been revived despite fiscal strain and would remain central to the state’s women-centric economic strategy.
The Deputy CM said 150 buses purchased by women’s collectives had been leased to the TSRTC, generating ₹1 crore in returns. Another 450 buses are pending integration. Women’s groups have also been allocated land to establish canteens, petrol outlets, and commercial units across the state. Micro-industries will be promoted in every Assembly constituency, he added.
He reiterated plans to implement the Babasaheb Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella project and said a special development programme for Adilabad district was under consideration. Referring to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s pre-election visit to Adilabad, Bhatti said the Cabinet was now addressing the region’s long-standing demands.
He credited Adilabad residents with opposing what he called autocratic governance under BRS, and recalled his People’s March padayatra from the district. He praised MLA Prem Sagar Rao’s popularity and described the turnout of over one lakh as proof of public backing.
He reviewed other ongoing schemes: ₹9,000 crore transferred to 70 lakh farmers under Rythu Bharosa in nine days; ₹21,000 crore cleared in farm loan waivers; and the construction of 4.5 lakh Indiramma houses sanctioned at ₹5 lakh each, totalling ₹22,500 crore.
He said 24-hour electricity was being supplied to farmers, crop insurance and natural disaster compensation were in place, and Rajiv Aarogyasri coverage had reached 93 lakh families. Schemes such as free travel for women in RTC buses, ₹500 LPG cylinders, and Shaadi Mubarak are being continued.
He said ₹55,000 crore had been earmarked for welfare. Young India International Schools were being established to deliver quality education to disadvantaged students, while new job and self-employment schemes targeted youth and marginal workers.
Watch live: Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka lays the foundation stone for the Indira Mahila Shakti Solar Project and attends a public meeting at Luxettipet, Mancherial district. https://t.co/vYEhLzMmIF
— Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu (@Bhatti_Mallu) July 13, 2025
Under the Indira Soura Girijana Vikasam Scheme, tribal farmers are being given free solar pumps, drip irrigation systems, sprinklers, and horticulture saplings such as bamboo and avocado to overcome cultivation barriers related to forest access.
Calling Telangana a public-serving government, Bhatti said each rupee was being spent directly for citizens’ welfare. He ended by highlighting Mancherial’s personal importance to him, noting its closeness to his home constituency of Madhira.