New Delhi: The Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry will soon come up with the "VISHVAS (Vanchit Ikai Samooh aur Vargo Ke Liye Arthik Sahayta Yojana)" scheme, whereby people from underprivileged sections who have taken bank loans will get five per cent subsidy per annum through direct cash transfer, an official said on Friday.
"It would help provide an immediate cash benefit to the beneficiary and I would urge our bankers to come forward and extend support to this scheme which would be floated within a period of the next 15-20 days or in a month's time," National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation Chairman and Managing Director K. Narayan said at a webinar hosted by business chamber Assocham.
Minister of State of Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said that the government is diligently working towards promoting economic development of the underprivileged through various focused schemes.
"While there are various government schemes, we must encourage youth belonging to marginalised community to come forward and become a part of the cooperative sector... our ministry also provides skill development training as such and they should take advantage of the same," he said.
Athawale urged the members of underprivileged communities to come forward and make the most of government schemes that have been specifically designed with an aim to promote their economic development.
The Minister also said that banks need to play a more proactive role in order to help the underprivileged by providing loans to the aspiring entrepreneurs, instead of discouraging them.
Delivering the guest of honour address, Rajya Sabha member Dushyant Kumar Gautam lamented that merely coming up with schemes is not going to help, and what is required is to implement them in letter and spirit.
Besides, there is also a need to empower the deprived sections of our society, stand behind them and support them by providing end-to-end hand holding with the help of NGOs, he said.
In his address, Gurdeep Singh, Chairman, ASSOCHAM National Council on Social Inclusion and Affirmative Action, impressed upon an urgent need to bring underprivileged and marginalised communities in the mainstream which would lead to rapid development of the country.
He also urged the Minister and MP to set up a monitoring cell under the PMO to keep track of all the various schemes aimed at supporting the underprivileged and promoting their development.
R.K. Singh, head-promotion and development vertical, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), talked about the Mission Swavalamban which aims to maximise the outreach and awareness of business opportunities and loan facility access to the aspiring SC/ST entrepreneurs across India.
K.K. Sharma, General Manager (National SC-ST Hub), The National Small Industries Corporation Ltd, said they are trying to provide support to SC and ST for entering the trade and industry sector and carve their own niche, and also encourage them to contribute to country's economy through wealth creation and by spreading entrepreneurial spirit among fellow community members and support them in their ventures.
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