Supriya Sule demands cheap loans for women self-help groups

Mumbai, Sep 10 (UNI) Leader of women self-help groups in Maharashtra and NCP MP Supriya Sule today demanded that cheap loans be made available to women self-help groups.

Talking to newsmen after meeting Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh at Mantralaya here with a delegation of the self-help groups, she said women groups in Maharashtra are producing various food and non-food items on a co-operative basis. Y B Centre in Mumbai had started an initiative called 'Yashasvini' to market these products, she said.

She said an effort was made to maintain quality of products made by these groups and 'Big Bazar' chain would provide a platform to market the same.

Ms Sule said the state government should try to give insurance cover to activities of women self-help groups. If all the 25 lakh women working in these groups are to be insurged, an amount of Rs five crore would be required as yearly premium. The government should make it available, she added.

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