Published Aug 15, 2026 | 12:44 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 15, 2026 | 12:44 AM
The plan is to encourage entrepreneurship among rural women.
Synopsis: MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas said eligible DWCRA women can now set up food processing units, with project costs of up to ₹3 lakh, using Streenidhi loans. These units will also be eligible for the credit-linked subsidy available under PMFME.
The Andhra Pradesh government has rolled out a new initiative linking DWCRA women’s self-help groups (SHGs) with the Prime Minister’s Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme through the Streenidhi Credit Cooperative Federation.
The move aims to encourage entrepreneurship among rural women.
Announcing the move on Friday, 14 August, MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas said eligible DWCRA women can now set up food processing units, with project costs of up to ₹3 lakh, using Streenidhi loans. These units will also be eligible for the credit-linked subsidy available under PMFME.
Women can use the funding to process fruits and vegetables, millets, pulses, spices, pickles, flour-based products and snacks rooted in local cuisine. District-level federations will function as resource organisations to identify potential beneficiaries.
The minister said the government would go beyond disbursing loans, extending support for raw material sourcing, packaging, branding and marketing until the ventures succeed. He said that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s goal is to nurture an entrepreneur in every family.
