The Business Association of Nagas (BAN) organized a meeting with aggrieved applicants of the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) on Saturday at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur. The meeting was necessitated as BAN was receiving many complaints from applicants who have successfully cleared the interview but their loan sanction was delayed by banks for different reasons.
24 PMEGP applicants attended the meeting. BAN was awestruck to know the mental, physical and financial harassment meted out to the applicants by various banks even after clearing the selection process conducted by the Government.
In one case, as per the applicant, she was asked by a private bank to deposit Rs 10 lakh as collateral for a Rs 15 lakh project. In another case, a Government undertaking bank made a pregnant lady run from pillar to post and in the end refused her the financial assistance. In another case, a youth with a brilliant idea after receiving the notice that he has been selected for the loan made a trip to Delhi to get industry experience. Only to find out after he came back that his project has been declared ‘not feasible’ by the bank.
BAN fails to understand why applicants are made to go through a lengthy process of project making, interview, Entrepreneurship Development Programme etc only to be shown the door by the banks.
Our youths may not be technically sound but today’s generation have shown positive entrepreneurial spirit and dedication. They should be given a chance. Past beneficiaries may have defaulted and created NPAs but why should our present generation pay for the sins of the past?
This is a Prime Minister’s scheme which holds great promise and can empower many upcoming entrepreneurs. Let it not be downgraded to just another lowly government scheme.
BAN is committed to help genuine applicants of the scheme get what they deserve and will take up the matter with the concerned authorities.
