Assam govt to repay micro finance loans of needy women, says Himanta

NAHARKATIYA: Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the BJP government, if voted to power again, will repay the loans of the needy women who have been defaulting in repaying their debts to micro finance institutions.

Claiming the BJP will retain power in the state, Sarma said in an election meeting at Sasoni near here that the BJP government was going to bring in a legislation under which not financial institution recovery agent will be allowed to visit defaulting debtors.

“If needed, I have Rs 500 crore at my disposal and will add Rs 500 to Rs 1000 crore more to it to repay the loans of needy women who have not been able to repay their debts,” the minister said, adding that there were loan default of about Rs 12,000 crore.

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“I am waiting only for the governor’s seal of approval on the legislation to rein in the micro finance companies,” Sarma said.

Wooing the voters, the minister also promised sanction of Rs 27 crore to complete construction of the Sasoni-Belbari Ali-Tikra Balighat bridge that has been under construction for decades together. He also set a deadline of 18 months for completion of the work.

Promising more infrastructure development in the locality, he said: “When Naharkatiya is getting so much even when the constituency is represented only by a BJP ally party MLA, development work will rain in Naharkatiya if it elects a BJP representative.”

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Sarma further said the government has plans to increase the Rs 830 per beneficiary amount to Rs 3000 per head per month under the Orunodoi Scheme to buy basic essentials such as medicine etc. He claimed 22 lakh families were presently beneficiaries under the scheme.