Telangana women SHGs: one crore members by 2034, Rs 79,000 crore loans
By Priya NairLeadership & Growth Editor, Peepals Shakti
Representative image: rupixen / Pixabay
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy said on 8 November 2026 the state aims to raise women's SHG membership from 70 lakh to one crore by 2034.
What Happened
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Sunday, 8 November 2026, that the state government aims to raise the membership of women's self-help groups from about 70 lakh today to one crore by 2034, and to help members become "crorepatis", according to the state government. He made the remarks while interacting with women self-help group members at the Mega Rythu Mela meeting hall in Hakeempet, Kodangal, in Vikarabad district, on his birthday, which fell on Diwali this year. At the same event the government launched 4.5 lakh new pensions.
Key Facts
- Women's self-help group (SHG) membership in Telangana is about 70 lakh, and the target is one crore by 2034.
- SHGs received bank linkage loans worth Rs 79,000 crore in the last 34 months, the government said.
- The government said it paid Rs 1,900 crore towards the interest on these loans.
- 4.5 lakh new pensions were launched, of which 3.5 lakh go to single women and widows, according to reports of the event.
- The other new pensions cover persons with disabilities, handloom workers and toddy tappers.
- The Chief Minister said Indiramma sarees would be distributed to one crore women on 19 November, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Why It Matters
A self-help group is a small group of women from the same village or neighbourhood who save money together and borrow from banks as a group. The group guarantees each member's repayment, which lets women without collateral get credit. Across India these groups are one of the main ways rural and poor urban women start small businesses such as dairy, tailoring, food processing and retail. Telangana's plan is to grow the movement and push its members from small loans to larger enterprises.
The bank linkage figure is the heart of the plan. Bank linkage means the bank lends directly to the group against its savings record. By paying part of the interest, the state lowers the cost of these loans for members. The Chief Minister has repeated the "one crore crorepatis" goal several times, and Sunday's event gave updated numbers on how far the state has reached.
The pensions also matter for women's financial security. Of the 4.5 lakh new pensions, the larger share, 3.5 lakh, goes to single women and widows, groups that often lose income and support when a household's main earner is gone.
Peepals calculation: Rs 79,000 crore over 34 months works out to about Rs 2,324 crore of bank loans to women's groups a month (79,000 ÷ 34). The Rs 1,900 crore interest support equals about 2.4% of the total lent (1,900 ÷ 79,000). Growing from 70 lakh to one crore members means 30 lakh new members, a rise of about 43%, or about 3.75 lakh new members a year over the eight years to 2034 (30 ÷ 8). Our calculation from the reported figures.
| Item | Figure reported |
|---|---|
| Current SHG membership | About 70 lakh women |
| Target by 2034 | One crore women |
| Bank linkage loans, last 34 months | Rs 79,000 crore |
| Interest paid by the state | Rs 1,900 crore |
| New pensions launched | 4.5 lakh, including 3.5 lakh for single women and widows |
Impact
Short-term: The new pensions start reaching their beneficiaries, and the saree distribution to one crore women is set for 19 November. Women's groups can expect continued interest support on their bank loans.
Long-term: If the membership target is met, a much larger share of the state's women would belong to groups that can borrow, train and sell together. The test will be whether members' incomes rise enough to justify the "crorepati" language, which the government has not yet backed with income data.
Who is affected: Women SHG members across Telangana's villages and towns; single women and widows receiving the new pensions; banks that lend to the groups; and small rural businesses run by women.
What to watch next: The Indiramma saree distribution on 19 November, and any data the government releases on the incomes and loan repayment of SHG members.
Key Takeaway
Telangana wants one crore women in self-help groups by 2034, up from about 70 lakh, backed by Rs 79,000 crore of bank loans to the groups in the last 34 months.
Questions and Answers
What is Telangana's women SHG target?
The Telangana government aims to increase women's self-help group membership from about 70 lakh to one crore by 2034 and to help members become crorepatis.
How much have Telangana's women SHGs borrowed?
The state government said SHGs received bank linkage loans worth Rs 79,000 crore in the last 34 months, and that it paid Rs 1,900 crore towards the interest.
Who gets the new Telangana pensions?
Of 4.5 lakh new pensions, 3.5 lakh go to single women and widows; the rest cover persons with disabilities, handloom workers and toddy tappers.
When will Indiramma sarees be distributed?
The Chief Minister said the sarees would be given to one crore women on 19 November, Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Priya Nair, Leadership & Growth EditorCovers Leadership & Growth and more for Peepals Shakti. All stories by Priya Nair
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Priya Nair is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
