(TNIE)
Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday set a target for commercial banks operating in the State to extend financial assistance to at least 10,000 entrepreneurs under the Stand-Up India scheme in 2018-19. Expressing his displeasure over low disbursement of credit under the scheme, which aims at promoting entrepreneurship among SC, ST and women and provides loans in the range of `10 lakh to `one crore, Pradhan said only 1,300 persons have been benefited.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced to make Odisha the laboratory for the pro-poor development initiatives. As part of the programme, I have decided to make the State a testing centre for skill development so that 10,000 people each year can be imparted training for making them successful in managing their business,” Pradhan said while addressing a Mudra promotion campaign programme here.
The campaign was organised by the Ministry of Finance in coordination with the State Government and State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC). Acknowledging the fact that less number of people are covered under banking system in eastern part of the country, Pradhan assured to take up the issue with the Finance Ministry for opening more branches in the State. He, however, appealed to the State Government and the SLBC for taking necessary steps to open more branches in unbanked areas. While expressing his concern over low credit deposit ratio in the State, the Minister asked bankers to increase the ratio from the current level of 50 per cent to 75 per cent.
