Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (GA)
Inputs and pics - RK Durga Digitals

Udupi, Mar 7: The mega conference of women of Navodaya Self Help Groups promoted by SCDCC Bank and Navodaya Charitable Grama Vikasa Trust was held on the Adi Udupi maidan here on Wednesday March 7.

The conference attended by more than 15,000 women was inaugurated by state cooperative minister G T Deve Gowda.

Speaking on the occasion he said that the government is contemplating about giving loans to Stri Shakti Women at 4% interest rate.  He also said that Navodaya SHGs which are functioning right now in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Hubli, Shimoga and Mysore district would soon be spread throughout the state. He urged Navodaya Federation to take lead in this mission of empowering women in the state.

Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy who was supposed to inaugurate the conference was absent owing to some urgent work.  However he spoke over the mobile phone and said that extra finances will be allotted for SHGs of rural areas in the coming budget.

District-in-charge minister Dr V S Acharya who was present on the occasion presented sports articles to youth groups while Birur MLA Dharme Gowda presented scholarships to the deserving students.  Third Finance Commission chairman A G Kodgi distributed cheques for self employment and Corporation bank CEO KK Gopalkrishna presented the Chaitanya insurance policies.

The programme was presided over by SCDCC bank and state Apex bank preside N Rejendra Kumar.  In his speech he said that a total of 24,509 Navodaya SHG and over 2, 22,000 women are availing benefits.  He also said that Udupi taluk has highest number of members in Navodaya SHGs.

MLA K Raghupati Bhat, Kaup MLA Lalaji R Mendon, Bellary MLA Rajanna, former minister Amarnath Shetty, ZP president B N Shankar Poojary, Congress leader Sarala Kanchan were also present on the occasion.