Idukki and Kottayam districts have been selected from the State for the Prime Minister’s scheme for delivering loans to entrepreneurs in 59 hours.
Kottayam has been selected for rubber-based MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprises ) units.
Inaugurating a district-level meeting for micro, small, and medium enterprises at the Collectorate conference hall, Painavu, on Friday evening, Union Minister of State for Energy R.K. Singh said Idukki district had enormous opportunities to launch many food-processing units.
Food-processing units and marketing of value-added products were the key to the development of the district.
Timely repayment
He said banks should provide soft loans to entrepreneurs and it should be ensured that no deserving persons were denied soft loans.
Those who benefited from the scheme should ensure timely repayment of the loans, the Minister said, adding that there were a large number of schemes that should be utilised for launching various enterprises.
“Though there are a number of schemes for entrepreneurs, they are not being utilised,” the Minister said, adding that agriculture formed the backbone of the district.
The banks should give liberal loans so that it would benefit many and help eradicate unemployment, the Minister said.
