Vijayawada: In a significant move to empower women and eradicate poverty, the State government has approved a budget of Rs 1.79 crore to provide 1,000 electric vehicles to Self-Help Group (SHG) members.
The decision, announced on Wednesday, allows the Mis-sion Director of the Mission of Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) to release Rs 1,79,88,000 from the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) funds during the financial year 2024-25.
The initiative, driven by the Department of Municipal Administration and Urban Development, aims to improve the livelihoods of SHG members by supplying two-wheeler bikes and three-wheeler autos. This aligns with the State’s vision of ‘One family, one entrepreneur,’ fos-tering women micro-entrepreneurs through a structured livelihood programme centered on electric vehicles, in-cluding bikes, autos and cabs.
To facilitate this, the government has partnered with Rapido, a ride-sharing service, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The scheme targets SHG wom-en and their families in eight cities across Andhra Pra-desh: Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Ra-jahmundry, Guntur, Nellore, Ongole and Tirupati.
As a pilot project, MEPMA will assist 1,000 beneficiaries in securing bank loans to purchase these e-vehicles. For SHG women without a driving licence, a family member with a valid licence can collaborate with Rapido to oper-ate the vehicle.
The government is offering a 10% subsidy on the vehicle cost – approximately Rs 12,300 for two-wheelers and Rs. 36,000 for three-wheelers – easing the financial bur-den on beneficiaries. The department emphasised that this investment is a step toward achieving a zero-poverty rate while uplifting the lives of SHG members.
Orders have been issued to the Mission Director, MEP-MA, Tadepalli, to take necessary action, marking a promising stride toward sustainable livelihoods and women’s empowerment in urban areas.
