PNS|Hyderabad
The Telangana government, along with WE-hub collaborated with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and conducted a day-long “Aadhyasri- National Conference on Women Entrepreneurship” on Thursday at Hotel ITC Kakatiya.
The theme of the conference was Beat the odds – challenges to opportunities. About 150 women entrepreneurs, budding entrepreneurs and business management students participated.
The day-long event was marked by four-panel discussions on the wider subjects of greater importance to women entrepreneurs. They include Challenges and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs in India; Women Health and Empowerment. The last panel discussion was about the Tech Equity Platform and Bridging the Gender Digital Divide. It is said over 90 per cent of jobs today have a digital component and digital skills.
Manju Sharma, General Manager of State Bank of India, spoke about various initiatives of the bank supporting women entrepreneurs and startups. She spoke about a dedicated branch for start-ups, the first in the city that came up in Gachibowli near T-Hub. It is the fifth in India, which provides end-to-end support services to startups. She also highlighted another initiative of the bank, ‘Contactless Lending’ to ensure uniformity, transparency and a reduced turnaround time in the loan approval process.
Dr Sangeeta Reddy, former President of FICCI, Chair-G-20 Empowerment and Joint MD of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, said, “It is good to note that health insurance is being addressed well and since year 2000. Insurance has its roots in Andhra Pradesh where my father initiated it with one rupee a day in a village. While appreciating the same another area of equal concern is under-insurance, where people are not adequately covered. Staying healthy is crucial; so we need less insurance.”
Mahima Datla, Chairperson, FICCI and Telangana State Council and Managing Director of Biological E Ltd, said “In 2020, startups helmed by women secured a commendable $2.8 billion in venture capital funding, which is a testament to their resilience, innovation and prowess.”
Prof Bejon Kumar Misra, an international consumer policy expert, said, “The smile and trust of consumers is important for any business to flourish. The women entrepreneurs in the hall must bear this in their entrepreneurial journey. He suggested to We-Hub to have a 24×7 helpline to address issues of women entrepreneurs.”
