Himachal providing loans to backward classes

The Himachal Pradesh government is providing loans at nominal interest to backward classes from both rural and urban areas, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister D.R. Shandil said Thursday.

The loan will be provided to the backward classes with income up to Rs.81,000 per annum in rural areas and Rs.103,000 per annum in urban areas.

He said the state has waived off two percent additional penal interest for the defaulters under one-time settlement.

"This decision has benefitted 627 people and it has been decided to extend this scheme till Dec 31, 2014," Shandil said at a meeting of the Himachal Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation board.

He stressed upon the need to check the defaulters and ensuring early recovery of the loan.

Social Justice and Empowerment Principal Secretary P.C. Dhiman said the corporation would enhance its fixed targets for the allocation of loans during this financial year and it would be ensured that more beneficiaries were covered under the scheme.

He said the loan limit has been increased from Rs.15 crore to Rs.20 crore which would provide more opportunities to the beneficiaries to start their enterprises and other employment generation activities.