CM Revanth Reddy Hands 553 Buses to Women SHGs, Pledges 3,000 More
Synopsis
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy flagged off 553 buses to women's SHGs under the Mahila Shakti Scheme at Secunderabad on 9 June 2026, announcing 3,000 more buses and a 2034 target to make one crore women financially independent through SHG-led asset management.
Key Takeaways
553 buses were formally handed over to women's SHGs for rental operations with TGSRTC at the Secunderabad Parade Grounds event on 9 June 2026 .
CM Revanth Reddy pledged an additional 3,000 buses to SHGs in the coming days under the Mahila Shakti Scheme .
Cheques worth Rs 20.34 crore (bus rental), Rs 500 crore (zero-interest loans), and a Rs 10,700 crore free-travel reimbursement figure were distributed to SHG federations.
The government has linked Rs 61,000 crore in bank credit to SHGs and paid Rs 2,000 crore in interest subvention.
SHG membership stands at 67 lakh ; the target is one crore members by 2034 , with a stated goal of making them all financially independent.
27,000 schools, 8,000 Stree Shakti Bhavans, canteens, and petrol pumps have been placed under women's SHG management as part of the broader asset-transfer model.
The Chief Minister's Office of Telangana announced on Tuesday, 9 June 2026 that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy flagged off 553 buses under the Mahila Shakti Scheme, transferring their operations to women's self-help groups (SHGs) on a rental basis for the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC). Speaking at the Mahila Varotsavam event held at Secunderabad Parade Grounds under the Praja Palana – Pragati Panchayat programme, he pledged to hand over an additional 3,000 buses to SHGs in the coming days.
Context
The event was part of the state government's ongoing Praja Palana – Pragati Panchayat initiative, which brings governance programmes directly to communities. Ministers Seethakka, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and Ponnam Prabhakar, along with elected representatives, senior officials, and large numbers of SHG women, attended the function at Secunderabad Parade Grounds.
At the event, the Chief Minister also distributed cheques — a Rs 20.34 crore rental payment for buses handed over to TGSRTC, a Rs 10,700 crore figure representing savings under free travel reimbursements, and a Rs 500 crore cheque under the zero-interest loan scheme — to SHG federations and mandal-level women's federations.
Policy Backdrop
The Mahila Shakti Scheme is a state initiative that transfers public assets — buses, canteens, petrol bunks, and school management — to women's collectives for operational control and rental income. It runs alongside the Mahalakshmi Scheme, under which the government has reimbursed TGSRTC more than Rs 10,000 crore for providing free bus travel to women since the Congress government took office in December 2023.
The government has also linked Rs 61,000 crore in bank credit to SHGs and paid Rs 2,000 crore to banks as interest subvention, effectively delivering zero-interest loans to member women. The Indiramma Houses scheme allots housing titles exclusively in women's names, and the state has already inaugurated 8,000 Stree Shakti Bhavans in one go. Plans are also underway to build 1 lakh homes in urban areas, all to be registered in women's names.
A Rs 2,400 crore international fruit market has been launched to help farmers — including women SHG members — market agricultural produce. The Chief Minister urged SHGs to take up the responsibility of educating farmers about crop diversification, moving beyond paddy and maize to pulses, vegetables, and horticulture.
Stakeholders and Impact
Telangana's SHGs currently have 67 lakh members. The Chief Minister set a target of enrolling one crore women as members, declaring: 'The responsibility of making one crore daughters crorepatis is mine.' He said the government would not rest until that goal is achieved, with a stated deadline of 2034.
The rental-bus model gives SHGs — at the district, mandal, and village levels — a steady income stream by leasing buses they purchase to TGSRTC. The Chief Minister said collectors have been directed to identify government land in district headquarters for women's SHGs to set up petrol pumps. The management of 27,000 schools under the 'Amma Adarsha Pathashala' banner and Mahila Shakti canteens has also been entrusted to women's groups.
Corporate-style Mahila Shakti Bhavans are to be built in district headquarters, offering women's collectives a formal planning and coordination infrastructure for future business ventures.
What's Next
The Chief Minister announced he would soon tour every parliamentary constituency in the state to engage directly with SHGs and review local business plans. The rollout of the additional 3,000 buses and the expansion of SHG membership to one crore will be key milestones to watch. The construction of corporate-level Mahila Shakti Bhavans in district headquarters is also expected to begin in the near term, providing women's groups with dedicated infrastructure for planning and enterprise development.
Point of View
A model that deepens political loyalty while building measurable economic stakes for a large voter base. By combining free-travel subsidies under the Mahalakshmi Scheme with rental income under Mahila Shakti, the Congress government is layering welfare with enterprise, making women simultaneously beneficiaries and operators of state infrastructure. The 2034 'one crore crorepatis' target functions as both a policy horizon and a long-term electoral anchor, signalling that SHG mobilisation will remain central to Telangana's political economy well beyond the current term. The model echoes SHG-led asset management experiments in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, but the scale of financial commitments — Rs 61,000 crore in bank linkages and Rs 10,000 crore in free-travel reimbursements — makes Telangana's iteration among the most ambitious in the country.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mahila Shakti Scheme in Telangana?
The Mahila Shakti Scheme is a Telangana government initiative that transfers public assets such as buses, canteens, petrol pumps, and school management to women's self-help groups, giving them rental income and operational control over state infrastructure.
How many buses have been handed over to women's SHGs in Telangana?
553 buses were handed over to women's SHGs on 9 June 2026 , with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announcing that an additional 3,000 buses would be transferred in the coming days.
What is the Mahalakshmi Scheme in Telangana?
The Mahalakshmi Scheme provides free bus travel to women on TGSRTC buses, with the Telangana government reimbursing the transport corporation. The government has paid over Rs 10,000 crore to TGSRTC under this scheme.
What is Telangana's target for women's SHG membership?
Telangana's SHGs currently have 67 lakh members . Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has set a target of reaching one crore members and making them financially independent by 2034 .
What financial support has Telangana given to women's self-help groups?
The state has facilitated Rs 61,000 crore in bank linkages for SHGs and paid Rs 2,000 crore to banks as interest subvention to provide zero-interest loans. A Rs 500 crore cheque under the zero-interest loan scheme was also distributed at the 9 June event.
