1.19 Lakh BC Women to Get Free Sewing Machines Under Telangana Scheme

The Telangana government has launched a new livelihood initiative aimed at helping BC women build independent sources of income through tailoring and home-based employment. The ‘Intintaa Indiramma Sewing Machines’ scheme was formally launched by Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar at the Dr BR Ambedkar Secretariat on Thursday.

Under the programme, the government will distribute 1.19 lakh automatic sewing machines across the state’s 119 Assembly constituencies. Each constituency will receive 1,000 machines, with every machine worth ₹12,000 being provided to eligible beneficiaries free of cost under a 100 per cent subsidy.

Applications will be invited from eligible BC women between August 15 and September 15. The scheme is primarily intended to support unemployed women who have an interest in tailoring and want to turn the skill into a source of livelihood.

The government will give preference to the poorest women, widows, single women, homeless women, orphans and persons with disabilities, besides those who already have experience in tailoring, according to the prescribed guidelines. The selection process will be carried out transparently, while beneficiaries will also be provided training to operate the machines and make effective use of them.

The initiative is significant as it seeks to move beyond conventional welfare support by providing women with an income-generating asset. The government expects the first phase to benefit 1.19 lakh women and has indicated that the programme could be expanded in the future to cover more beneficiaries.

Ponnam Prabhakar said the government’s objective was to help women move from being welfare beneficiaries to becoming self-employed entrepreneurs. He also highlighted other measures aimed at improving women’s livelihood opportunities, including free bus travel and employment avenues through petrol pumps, the RTC and other self-employment programmes.

The minister said the government had prepared a dedicated action plan for BC development, with further measures to be taken after the caste census process.

As part of the government’s outreach to BC communities, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is scheduled to unveil statues of social reformers Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule opposite the HMDA Grounds on August 14.

The Chief Minister will also inaugurate a statue of Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud on Tank Bund on August 18, coinciding with his birth anniversary. Ponnam Prabhakar urged BC public representatives and community organisation leaders to participate in large numbers in both programmes.