The Andhra Pradesh government will allot land in Guntur district for setting up a food park to the Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (Cowe), according to state major industries minister Kanna Lakshminarayana.
“At present, only five per cent of enterprises are managed by women in the state. The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Investment Promotion Policy 2010-15, which was formulated two-and-a-half-month ago, has identified the need to improve the contribution of women entrepreneurs,” he said at the inaugural function of the three-day Cowe Trade Carnival that kicked off here on Saturday.
To facilitate creation of women enterprises in the state, initiatives such as five per cent additional investment subsidy limited to Rs 5 lakh (totalling 20 per cent) have been announced in the policy.
“Another five per cent additional subsidy is offered to SC and ST women. Ten per cent land is reserved in the industrial estates and parks developed by Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited for women entrepreneurs,” the minister added.
About 167 stalls have been set up at the 2010 edition of Cowe Trade Carnival, of which 120 are set up exclusively by women entrepreneurs. Cowe had also expanded to Delhi and opened its chapter there, besides entering into an MoU with the University of East London for an e-platform for women to buy and showcase products on the Net, said Uma Gurkha, president of Cowe.
