Amaravati, Oct 2026 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday directed officials to intensify efforts to economically empower women Self-Help Group (SHG) members, setting a target of creating 5 lakh women entrepreneurs across the state.
Naidu reviewed programmes aimed at developing 5 lakh women entrepreneurs and the “Swayam AP” initiative with officials of the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) at his camp office.
He directed SERP and MEPMA officials to extend full support to the initiative and explore assistance from corporate organisations. Women interested in self-employment, he said, should also be encouraged to explore franchise-based business opportunities to expand their income-generating options.
Naidu observed that Andhra Pradesh has one of the most extensive SHG networks in the country and stressed the need to leverage this network to create sustainable livelihoods and businesses for women.
He said products manufactured by DWCRA women should reach national and global markets. To achieve this, he directed officials to develop “Swayam AP” as a common brand bringing together thousands of products made by women under the DWCRA programme.
The initiative will focus on standardised quality, modern packaging, e-commerce platforms, signature stores and an integrated marketing system. The government intends to provide women producers with stronger market access while creating greater visibility for their products.
Naidu also directed officials to make the National Saras Mela 2026, being organised for the first time in Vijayawada from October 15 to 31, a major showcase of women’s empowerment.
He asked officials to invite women entrepreneurs and women Members of Parliament from across the country to participate in the event. Officials informed him that SHGs from across India would establish 600 stalls at the Saras Mela, with around one lakh visitors expected every day. President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to formally inaugurate the event.
Officials also informed Naidu that sales of “Swayam AP” products through signature stores and the Flipkart platform would begin from October 15, providing SHG members with additional avenues to reach consumers.
The Chief Minister was briefed on programmes already initiated to achieve the 5 lakh women entrepreneur target. These include market linkages, financial assistance, training and quality standardisation.
Officials said a comprehensive strategy had been formulated around five key areas. The first involves building a strong support system for women from the village level to global markets. The second focuses on identifying business opportunities and converting them into viable enterprises.
The third area involves providing financial assistance, with loans amounting to Rs 68,585 crore planned under the initiative. The fourth focuses on capacity building and business-management training in partnership with leading institutions. The fifth involves developing an integrated entrepreneurship plan with the participation of more than 60 organisations.
Successful women entrepreneurs are also being connected with first-time entrepreneurs as mentors. Officials said the mentorship programme would help new entrepreneurs gain practical knowledge and guidance while building their businesses.
Special camps will be organised at the district level to support the achievement of the 5 lakh entrepreneur target. These camps will help women access information, financial assistance, training and other support required to start or expand businesses.
Officials further informed the Chief Minister that incubation programmes were being implemented to transform rural women’s activities from small livelihood ventures into wealth-creating enterprises.
In collaboration with institutions such as IIM Visakhapatnam and Centurion University, women entrepreneurs are being provided access to mentorship, markets, credit, resources and business-management skills.
Stree Nidhi, a banking institution focused on women, has already provided loans worth Rs 4,800 crore to 4.73 lakh women, officials said.
They added that SHG women across Andhra Pradesh are currently producing more than 23,000 products spanning sectors such as food, handicrafts and textiles.
The government’s strategy seeks to combine financial access, skill development, market linkages, branding and mentorship to strengthen women-led enterprises and create a larger ecosystem for women entrepreneurs across rural and urban areas of Andhra Pradesh.
