SWARNIMA SCHEME BENEFITS OVER
23,000 POOR OBC WOMEN
About Rs. 24.67 crore
have been disbursed as loans to more than 23,000 OBC women beneficiaries
under the Swarnima Scheme by the National Backward Classes Finance
and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) during the five and half
years since 1997. The maximum number of about 11,000 women beneficiaries
are from Karnataka who have been provided more than Rs.10.21 crore.
The other two states where the maximum number of poor OBC women
have benefited are Andhra Pradesh with about 89,00 beneficiaries
and Kerala having about 1,700 beneficiaries. The Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment has urged the State Chanelising Agencies
to organize beneficiary identification camps in the areas having
concentration of backward classes especially in rural areas in
order to reach maximum number of target groups.
The NBCFDC started
the scheme in January 1997 to inculcate the spirit of self-reliance
among the women of backward classes living below the poverty line.
The loans are being provided by the Corporation through the State
Chanelising Agencies. The maximum loan limit under the scheme
is Rs. 50,000 per beneficiary at a fixed rate of interest of 4%
per annum. The beneficiaries are not required to invest any amount
on their own. The loans were provided for Agriculture and Allied
sectors, Small Business / Artisan and Traditional Occupation and
Service Sectors. Under the Agriculture and Allied sector the eligible
women beneficiaries are given loan for dairy, bee keeping, fish
buying and selling etc. Under the Small Businesses the loans are
provided for running bangle units, beauty parlors, basket weaving,
grocery shops etc. Under the Service Sector the loan is given
for operating photocopier, STD/PCO booth, tailoring, binding,
candle manufacturing, agarbati making etc. The repayment period
under the scheme is more than 2 years than under the normal schemes.
