SWAYAM outlet for SHG women’s products sought at Bhogapuram airport
Seeking to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship in Andhra Pradesh, State MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) urged the Centre to extend more financial
Seeking to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship in Andhra Pradesh, State MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) urged the Centre to extend more financial and institutional support for self-help group (SHG) women under the Prime Minister Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme. During a meeting with Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries Secretary Avinash Prakash Joshi and Joint Secretary Devesh Deval in New Delhi, the Minister proposed that subsidies for PMFME units established through Stree Nidhi loans be credited directly to the Stree Nidhi account.
He sought extension of interest subvention under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to PMFME loans sanctioned through Stree Nidhi for SHG women entrepreneurs. The Minister requested the Centre to recognise district and mandal federations of self-help groups as District Resource Organisations (DROs) under the PMFME scheme to provide training, mentoring and handholding support to women entrepreneurs. The officials responded positively and assured that the proposals, including direct subsidy release and interest concessions, would be examined on priority.
Srinivas said enhanced Central support would help expand the reach of the PMFME scheme in rural Andhra Pradesh and create better employment and income opportunities for SHG women in the food processing sector. Later, the Minister met Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu and representatives of GMR Airports to seek allotment of a dedicated retail outlet for marketing products under the SWAYAM brand, manufactured by SHG women, at the upcoming Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram.
He said the outlet would provide global visibility and improved market access for products made by rural women entrepreneurs. Both the Union Minister and GMR management assured their cooperation in establishing the retail stall at the airport.
The BriefWire