Vijayawada: Education, IT, Electronics and RTGS Minister Nara Lokesh on Saturday refuted criticism from opposition YSRC that he distributed yellow sewing machines to beneficiaries under the Stree Sakti plan.
Lokesh, who served as a TD candidate for Mangalagiri constituency in 2019, failed with a smaller majority, insisted that he inherited the spirit of empowering women from his grandfathers NTR and Father N. Chandrababu Naidu. With the blessing of his mother Bhuvaneswari and the encouragement of his wife Brahmani, he began his first Street Shakti Kendra in the Mangalagiri constituency on June 20, 2022.
TD National Secretary General noted that Stree Shakti plans to offer free beautician courses and provide training for interested female tailors regardless of caste and religion. So far, the program has benefited 3,508 women in the Mangalagiri constituency with financial assistance.
Specifically, the minister refuted the YSR Congress allegations about the distribution of yellow sewing machines, saying he had provided personal funds. Furthermore, he insists that despite his failure in 2019, he believes he has a responsibility to support the Mangalagiri people through a solid weight loss. He asserted that he had several plans for the welfare of the various parts he wanted to stand up. He uses his own funds to provide tools, materials and investments to enable hand loom weavers, goldsmiths, women and small traders to provide tools, materials and investments.
During the training, women do not have to bring up the line and needles, as all the materials needed for the training are provided free of charge at Street Shakti Kendra in Mangalagiri. So far, certificates have been awarded to 2,226 women who have completed training and, in addition to free sewing kits, have also completed training,” Lokesh noted.
He insisted that because of the number of women who wanted to train in Mangalagiri, he started the Street Sakti Kendras in other constituencies. They were unveiled on February 1, 2023 at Street Shakti Kendra in Tadepalli. The next bizarre Shakti Kendra started on April 10, 2023 in Duggirala, where the sewing machine was distributed to all 616 women who completed 16 batches of training there.
The minister insists that all 3,508 female beneficiaries of Mangalagiri constituency are now self-employed and run tailoring businesses in their shops and houses. Lokesh added: “I am using my own funds to fund the Street Sakti program. It has been successfully run for three years. The program will continue to enhance the capabilities of women in the future.”
