Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday said women are receiving genuine recognition under “Indiramma Rajyam” and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening women’s empowerment. Addressing the ‘Mahila Shakti’ public meeting at Secunderabad Parade Grounds, organised to hand over 553 RTC buses to women’s self-help groups, the Chief Minister alleged that the previous government had failed to release ₹4,000 crore in zero-interest funds meant for women’s groups. He also claimed that the former BRS government lost power due to its neglect of women’s welfare.
Highlighting the initiatives undertaken by the Congress government, Revanth Reddy said ₹10,500 crore had been provided to the state transport corporation to implement the free bus travel scheme for women. He noted that women continue to excel in every field and described them as a driving force behind social and economic development. The Chief Minister said Indian culture celebrates the birth of a girl child and credited former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for demonstrating the strength of women’s leadership on the global stage.
Referring to women’s rights in India, Revanth Reddy said the country granted voting rights to women immediately after Independence under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru. He also highlighted the Congress party’s role in promoting women’s representation in public life and governance, stating that the party has consistently supported measures aimed at increasing women’s participation in politics.
The Chief Minister criticised both the BJP and BRS over women’s representation, alleging that the BJP had never appointed a woman as its national president and that the BRS government did not include a woman minister during its first term in office. In contrast, he said the Congress government had appointed two women ministers. He further credited former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for introducing reservations for women in local bodies and recalled that Sonia Gandhi had introduced legislation for women’s reservation in legislatures.
Revanth Reddy said the free bus travel scheme had helped female students continue their education by reducing transportation expenses and lowering dropout rates. He added that women in Telangana are now managing petrol pumps and solar power projects and announced plans to establish Mahila Shakti buildings across the state. Stating that women’s empowerment is central to Telangana’s economic growth, the Chief Minister said his government aims to transform one crore women into millionaires and pledged to continue working towards that goal in the coming years.