In a message, the Chief Minister said that the proposed Mahila Bank would go a long way in realising the dream of women empowerment in the country. He also thanked Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram for inviting him for the programme. He said that Andhra Pradesh has always been in the forefront of women empowerment and has been a role model for the entire country. Stree Nidhi Bank has been set up by the state government to provide easy loans to women. Andhra Pradesh is the only state to launch a bank specifically for the women.

An amount of Rs.1500 crores has been provided as starting capital for this bank. 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 installments. Another important initiative taken towards women empowerment which will benefit over 1.49 crore women in the state is the interest free loans programme. INN