Bhubaneswar: Addressing a press meet today BJD National Spokesperson Dr Sasmit Patra said that yesterday, Hon’ble Union Minister Shri. Dharmendra Pradhan in an election rally said that while the interest rate is 11% at Central Government’s Bank; under Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission, there is an interest subvention of 7% by the Centre and only 4% is given by State and State is taking credit.
He placed on record before media the Reserve Bank of India’s Master Circular on Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) dated 20th July, 2022. In Annexure -2 of the RBI document, serial no. 2, its clearly mentioned that for loans upto 3 lakhs for women SHGs the interest rate will be 7%. In serial no. 3, its clearly mentioned for loans above 3 lakhs and upto 5 lakhs, the interest rate would be at 10%. When RBI has stated that for loans upto 3 lakhs, interest rate is 7% and for loans from 3 lakhs to 5 lakhs, interest rate is 10%, then wasn’t the Hon’ble Union Minister misleading the Women SHGs of Odisha and particularly of Padampur yesterday?
Hon’ble CM Shri. Naveen Patnaik is taking the entire interest rate burden upto 10% on himself for the Women SHGs and through interest subvention is making it 0% for the women SHGs. While the Government of Odisha is making it 0% and paying the entire interest amount to the bank accounts of the Women SHGs, the Government of India is keeping it at a fixed rate of 7% for upto 3 lakhs and 10% for above 3 lakhs to 5 lakhs. This is the difference between Odisha Government and Centre.
The Women SHGs of Padampur and Bargarh were paying more interest than others because Centre kept them in Category-2 districts instead of Category-1. But Hon’ble CM Shri. Naveen Patnaikdid not allow them to suffer. He took up the entire burden of interest made it zero percent. For him and BJD, all districts of Odisha are the same. Can you imagine the plight of the SHGs of Bargarh if Hon’ble CM had not stepped it. This is not Central neglect? This is Central partiality.
In this manner Hon’ble CM Shri. Naveen Patnaik has paid nearly 500 crores so far to 4 lakh Women SHG accounts. In the last three years in Bargarh alone Rs. 11.19 crores has been paid by Odisha Government to SHG accounts. In last three years in Padampur Rs. 3.05 crores has been paid as interest subvention from Odisha Government. Had our Govt not taken up this step, could our SHGs in Bargarh avail loans? Lakhs of SHGs in Odisha would have faced a huge interest burden and it would have badly hampered entrepreneurship among SHGs. Why? Why this RBI circular? Is this women’s empowerment. Can Hon’ble Union Minister answer? Can he make interest zero for SHGs? Our SHGs demand an answer.
Hon’ble CM Shri. Naveen Patnaik announced this on 29th November and it is effective from 1st April 2022. Any SHG in Odisha can avail zero interest loans upto 5 lakh. The interest will be directly paid by Govt of Odisha into their accounts. This is transparent and easy to understand. All SHGs are treated equally and it shows our commitment to growth of SHGs .Govt of Odisha is committed to provide 50000 cr to SHGs in bank loans in next 5 years. For this 1200 crores interest subvention benefits have been proportioned. This will go directly into SHG accounts. This is Hon’ble CM Shri. Naveen Patnaik’s commitment to women SHGs of Odisha.
Along with Dr. Sasmit Patra in the Press meet were Hon’ble Rajya Sabha MP and BJD Spokesperson Smt. Sulata Deo and BJD Media Panelist Ms. Madhusmita Nayak.
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