BHOPAL: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said his government’s priority is to empower self-help groups (SHGs) economically.
A scheme for giving them bank loan is in the offing to boost their activities, he said, adding that such groups run by women should be allowed to pay minimum 4% of interest on loan. Chouhan asked the banks to set a target for giving loans to these groups.
The Chief Minister made the above statements at a meeting of bankers through video conference held in Mantralaya on Tuesday.
Chouhan also said recovery of loans was not up to the mark and non-performing assets of banks also increased.
He also inaugurated annual credit plan of the banks for 2020-21 and urged the bankers to provide loan up to Rs 2 crore to young entrepreneurs without collateral guarantee.
During the video-conferencing, Chouhan and senior officers of banks spoke to women running self-help groups to know their problems.
He asked the bankers to solve their problems as fast as possible. A member of a self-help group Jyoti Meena from Sehore said she did not get loan which was sanctioned three years ago.
The case is related to Bank of India Ahmadpur. The Chief Minister asked officers to seek an explanation from the bank manager and arrange loan for the woman.
Similarly, woman from Sirpura in Guna, running a self-help group said stamp paper worth Rs 500 was demanded from her.
There is, however, no such rule, and action should be taken against the guilty, she said.
The Chief Minister said there should a similarity in interest rates of all banks on the loan given to SHGs.
Chouhan also appreciated the working of the banks during the lockdown.
Additional chief secretary Manoj Shrivastava said a sum of Rs 300 crore was given to SHGs as loan, but Chouahan made it clear that the amount was less and it should be increased.
The Chief Minister told the bankers that the Central Government has announced a package of Rs 20,000-crore subordinate loan to revamp the stressed MSMEs.
He also said that loans should be given to street vendors to boost their business.
Chief secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, ACS Manoj Shrivastava, agriculture production commissioner KK Singh, ACS Manoj Govil and other officers were present at the video-conferencing.
