HM urges business women to go the extra mile

Emphasising the role of women entrepreneurs in the country and in the state, CII Vizag chapter recently held a session on opportunities women entrepreneurs can avail of at public sector undertakings.

As per the Indian Government’s Public Procurement policy it mandates that 25 per cent of all procurement should be sourced from Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), with a specific 3 percent target set aside for women-owned enterprises (WOBs). However, the said target remains largely unmet, with the national average hovering around a mere 1 per cent.

In India, women constitute 14% of entrepreneurs, equating to 8.05 million overseeing 20% of MSMEs among 58.5 million enterprises. As women-led businesses tend to hire more women, supporting them creates a multiplier effect that extends beyond the business into the wider community.

Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Home & Disaster Management, Ms. Vangalapudi Anitha, thus urged women entrepreneurs to take the first step and not let fear confine them. 

Addressing a room full of women entrepreneurs Ms Anitha called upon women to bring a change in their mind set and to overcome challenges and seize opportunities in entrepreneurship.

She highlighted that despite women occupying leadership positions, societal perceptions often remain skewed by gender biases. She thus called for an attitudinal change, beginning with the way children are raised, to foster a more equitable society. 

Reflecting on her own journey from the position of schoolteacher to Home Minister of a State, Ms. Anitha shared that her success was not achieved overnight but was the result of relentless hard work and a fearless attitude. 

She also urged financial institutions to support women-led startups by providing easier access to loans and creating awareness around government schemes designed to facilitate ease of doing business.