Tripurana Venkata Ratnam to head Women’s Commission

Hyderabad, June 3 : Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy reconstituted A.P Women’s Commission by appointing Dr.Tripurana Venkataratnam as Chairperson with six other members on Monday.

The Chief Minister reconstituted the A.P. Women’s Commission with well educated, prominent social activists and well qualified women from various walks of life. The other members are Smt.Paruchuri Jamuna, Dr.Sunita Krishnan, Smt.Thoti Malleswari, Smt.Mukala Kasturi, Smt.L.Feroz Begum. The Scheduled Tribe category member would be nominated separately and orders to this effect will be issued soon.

Dr Tripurana Venkata Ratnam is a Doctorate and LL.B from Srikakulam District. She was an MLA from TDP during 1993 from Cheepurupalli and Minister in the cabinet of Sri N. Bhaskar Rao. Her father T.Raghava Dasu was a freedom fighter and was an MLC and DCC President during 1978-’81. She is also a noted social worker and activist.

Smt. Parchuri Jamuna is a post graduate in political science is the daughter of P Ramaswamy from Hyderabad. She started her career as Journalist in 1975 in Eenadu Daily and actively participated in setting up of Women NGOs for Women’s Education, Health and girl child rights. Smt. Jamuna has trained NGOs, political personnel, Health, Women activists and social welfare departments on gender issues. She was Project Manager & Director Advocacy, SERP in 2003 and is also a prominent social activist.

Dr.Sunitha Krishnan is from Kerala, settled in Hyderabad is an MD in Psychiatry and leading Prajwala NGO and has done remarkable service in anti-human trafficking and rehabilitation of victims through her NGO “Prajwala”. She received national and international awards and is a prominent social worker.

Smt. Thoti Malleswari is the wife of T.Raghava Reddy, Congress leader is a Post Graduate and her grand father was elected twice as sarpanch unanimously. She is ZPTC Member, Chowdepalli, Chittoor District and ZP Standing Committee Chairman (social welfare) and Member, District Food Advisory Committee.

Smt. Mukala Kasturi is the wife of M.A. Satyanarayana of Vizianagaram and is a Post Graduate and former ZPTC Member and is a prominent social worker.

Smt. L. Feroz Begum from Kurnool is the wife of Roshan Basha and is a graduate. She is former Mayor of Kurnool (2000-’05) and is a noted social worker.

It may be stated here that the Chief Minister has taken many steps for the development and welfare of women. Andhra Pradesh is the only State where all the SHG women get bank loans at zero per cent interest (vaddi leni runaalu).

The Chief Minister has also launched the Stree Nidhi Bank– the Bank exclusively for women. This scheme has been envisaged to financially uplift the rural women and to protect them from the clutches of micro finance and other private money lenders. Women can get Rs.15,000 as loan which can be repaid in 24 instalments. Andhra Pradesh is the only State to launch a bank specifically for the women. An amount of Rs.1500 crores has been provided as working capital for this bank. In all 1074 Stree Shakti Bhavans are also being constructed at a cost of Rs.274 crores.

Andhra Pradesh is a role model in the country as far as Self Help Groups (SHG) for women are concerned. The SHG-based Community Managed Social Action Committee consisting of only women have so far settled 37,659 cases out of 47,046 cases referred to it. As compensation, Rs.39.37 crores have been paid to the victims through the mediation and conciliation process.

The Chief Minister launched yet another initiative for the welfare of women. He has launched the Rs.6,000 crs. State Milk Mission. The goal of the State Milk Mission is to increase the overall milk production in a sustainable manner which also heralded the milk revolution in the State and helped the women in the State to a great extent.

The Chief Minister hoped that the new Women’s Commission would work for the development, security and welfare of women in the State. INN