Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Irrigation, Food and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has reiterated that women empowerment will remain central to Telangana’s vision of inclusive and sustainable growth. The Minister on Thursday inaugurated the St Ann’s Incubation Centre at St Ann’s College for Women, Mehdipatnam. With this launch, St Ann’s became the first degree college in Telangana to set up a government-registered incubation centre.

The event was attended by St Ann’s institutions superior general mother Anthonamma, principal Dr Sr A. Vijaya Rani, NI-MSME director Dr Vijaya Erandi, T-Hub CEO Sita Pallacholla, and Osmania University Registrar Prof. Gaddam Narayana Reddy. Calling incubation centres the “backbone of innovation-driven economies,” Uttam said such initiatives bridge academics with industry and provide real-world opportunities for students. He emphasised that women must play a leading role in this process.

“Women constitute half the population. If they are not part of growth, we lose half our potential. The St Ann’s Incubation Foundation will break barriers for women entrepreneurs by offering mentorship, networks and funding support,” he noted. The Minister said the centre would serve not only as a startup platform but also as a hub for social impact solutions in sustainability, healthcare, education, rural development and digital inclusion. “These are areas where women innovators can transform lives,” he added.

Assuring full government support, Uttam said the state would extend policy initiatives, networks and market access. “Just as T-Hub and V-Hub nurtured startups, this centre will nurture women innovators to lead from the front,” he stressed. He urged St Ann’s to involve alumni, industry leaders and investors in building the incubation hub into a strong base for research, innovation and social entrepreneurship.