The government aims to make Kerala an entrepreneur-friendly State, Minister for Industries P. Rajeeve said on Friday while launching a State-level loan scheme for entrepreneurs formulated by the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) in association with the State government.
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The Industries department offers interest subvention on loans up to ₹ 10 lakh so that entrepreneurs can avail them at 4% interest. The State government is celebrating 2022-23 as Entrepreneurship Year and the loan scheme is part of the initiative.
The State attracted investments worth ₹21,949.59 crore, creating 92,955 employment opportunities in 2020-21, Mr. Rajeeve said. S. Harikishore, director, Industries, said that special loan melas will be held in all panchayats from August 1 to 15.
So far this fiscal, 42,000 enterprises have started in the State, he said. As part of promoting entrepreneurship, the Industries Department had appointed 1153 interns in the local bodies. They operate help desks for entrepreneurs on Mondays and Wednesdays, providing them with information regarding schemes, licences and subsidies.
V.K. Prasanth, MLA, presided. SLBC Convener S. Premkumar explained the loan scheme. M. G. Rajamanickam, managing director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and Kerala Financial Corporation executive director Premnath Ravindranath were among those present.