The drive for literacy and anti-liquor movements in many parts of the country has got an impetus from women's participation in Panchayati Raj bodies. Such political empowerment has encouraged women to move from one village to another to spread literacy with a catchy slogan 'Jai Akshar' which they say is equal in importance to 'Jai Hind'. Women are now restless to widen their public participation. It will in fact fulfil one of the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi who had gone to the extent of saying in 1946 that women should be preferred to men even if such preference resulted in total displacement of men by women. Substantive portion of women's empowerment rests on the economic independence of women.
Women have least access to credit, property, and economic and productive resources.
We have seen how the activities of ordinary women in many parts of the country led to their economic empowerment. These credit cooperatives started by women have been replicated in many other parts of Andhra Pradesh and many other States of India. SEWA Bank in Gujarat, Bhramaramba Mahila Cooperative Bank in Andhra Pradesh and many other such women's banks are shining examples of women's active involvement in promoting their economic empowerment. Andhra Pradesh has also taken the first step in establishing separate Industrial Estate for women. Started by the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of Andhra Pradesh it has become a role model for women entrepreneurs in other States.