Karnataka - Bellary   

Make use of DIR scheme, says Minister

BELLARY: G. Janardhan Reddy, Minister for Tourism, has urged petty businessmen to take advantage of the Differential Interest Rate (DIR) scheme launched by the Pragathi Grameen Bank, to develop their businesses. Loans were being provided at an interest rate of four per cent an annum, he added.

Speaking after launching the scheme here on Sunday, Mr. Reddy hoped that from now on petty businessmen, including hawkers and vegetable vendors, would stop borrowing from moneylenders at higher interest rates. He also appealed to the beneficiaries to not only utilise the benefits of the scheme, but also ensure periodical repayment of the loan amount.

He said the BJP Government had come out with several welfare schemes for the poor, including the Bhagyalakshmi Scheme for the welfare of the girl child, apart from providing them with health insurance cover of up to Rs. 2 lakh.

Devaki Muthukrishnan, Regional Director, Reserve Bank of India, Bangalore, hoped the DIR scheme of the Pragathi Grameen Bank would be emulated by other banks.

N. Ramesh, chairman of the Pragathi Grameen Bank, said the DIR scheme was aimed at benefiting socially and economically weaker sections of society. He said the bank, with a clientele of over 25 lakh, had distributed 1.6 lakh kisan cards till now.

G. Somshekar Reddy, Bellary city MLA, was present.

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