Government integrates urban and rural SHGs 

In a significant step towards women’s empowerment and poverty alleviation, fostering economic self-reliance and strengthening the role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), the Telangana government has decided to integrate both urban and rural SHGs. An order to this effect has also been issued recently.

While the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) were set up to facilitate the mobilisation of poor women into self-sustaining community-based organisations that work towards alleviation of poverty and overall development to lead a dignified life in rural and urban areas, respectively, the SHGs under the jurisdiction of MEPMA will now be brought under the control of SERP.

As part of this new initiative, urban poor women beyond notified slum areas will also be included in the Self-Help Groups network, besides forming adolescent SHGs in the age group of 15 to 18 years across the State and elderly SHGs across the State for those elderly women above 60 years of age. Orders on administrative structure, staff pattern and budget to operationalize the ‘Indira Mahila Shakthi Mission-2025’ will be issued separately.

The CEO, SERP, Hyderabad, and the MD, MEPMA, Hyderabad, have been asked to take further necessary action in the matter, accordingly.

The government launched the Indira Mahila Shakthi Mission-2025, a comprehensive initiative aimed at integrating urban and rural Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to empower women across the State, in continuation of the Indira Mahila Shakthi Policy 2024, which sought to bring one crore women into the SHG network and strengthen their financial independence.

Recognizing the changing demographics of poverty, the government has expanded the SHG network beyond slums to include urban poor women living in affluent areas. Many of these women, originally part of SHGs in their native villages, have missed out on key benefits due to migration.

The integration of urban SHGs with rural SHGs aims to bridge this gap by leveraging urban markets as distribution channels for rural SHG products. This collaboration is expected to create new economic opportunities, boost rural industries and strengthen financial inclusion.

Currently, Telangana has a vast network of 65 lakh women in SHGs, with 47.40 lakh rural women organized into 4.37 lakh SHGs and 17.60 lakh urban women in 1.73 lakh SHGs. These SHGs operate under a structured system of federations, including Village Organizations, Mandal Mahila Samakhyas and Town-level Federations, supported by the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA).

To operationalize the Indira Mahila Shakthi Mission-2025, the government will issue orders on administrative structure, staff deployment and budget allocation.