Banks to assist 2.08 lakh in self-employment

The banks operating in Orissa are targeting to provide loan assistance to 2,08,800 beneficiaries for self employment opportunities during the current fiscal.

They have already financed 38,736 persons under this scheme involving a total loan amount of Rs 445.58 crore by the end of June, 2008.

While the banks targeted to provide loan to 75,000 persons in 2006-07, the achievement exceeded the target. Loans worth Rs 700.27 crore were disbursed to 84,827 persons in that year.

The banks also exceeded the target in the next year by financing 2, 29,521 persons involving Rs 1694.21 crore against the target of assisting 1,30,000 persons. The cumulative assistance of the banks for self employment opportunities till June this year was Rs 2839 crore, official sources said.

Meanwhile, the government has set a target of providing self employment opportunities to 29,400 youths in the state during 2008-09. It will be implemented by different departments and agencies of the government.

While the industry department will enable 17,000 youths to be self employed through its arm the directorate of technical education and training, the textile department has been given a target of creating self employment opportunities for 5000 youths and Mahila Vikas Samabaya Nigam for another 600 persons.

Fisheries and animal resources development department will initiate measures for creating employment opportunities for 3300 persons. Similarly, housing and urban development department through Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will enable 650 persons to be self employed.

Besides, tourism department targets to create self employment opportunities for 650 persons during the current fiscal.

Chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, who reviewed the progress of various self employment programmes in the state secretariat, has directed the officials to conduct a survey for assessing the employment and self employment opportunities in different sectors.

The Atma Nijukti Paramarsa Mela (the self employment counseling camp) started by the state government since 2006-07 has evoked good response from the youths. While 78,366 candidates participated in 2006-07, it increased to 2,10,8 01 in 2007-08.

Besides, the government has also started training through government run ITIs, polytechnics and privately managed Industrial Training Centres (ITCs). About 4516 youths were trained in 2005-06, 7700 youths in 2006-07, 13,266 in 2007-08 and about 9000 youths have been admitted for training till date in the current fiscal.