92 women self-employed, courtesy Ambala admn

Nitin Jain

The Ambala district administration has helped 92 women become self-employed by facilitating subsidised loans amounting to Rs 77.65 lakh from the Haryana Women Development Corporation during 2018-19.

It has now set a target to make 100 more women self-employed during the current financial year. Besides, 96 girl students have been given Rs 32.34 lakh subsidy on education loans for higher studies in India and abroad under the “Beti bachao, beti padhao” campaign.

Deputy Commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Brar says that the Haryana Women Development Corporation provides loans to women for self-employment avenues. Under the scheme, women with annual income less than Rs 1.5 lakh and no family member, who is an income tax payee, are eligible for a loan of Rs 1 lakh each. The corporation provides 10 per cent (maximum of Rs 5,000) subsidy on the loan amount and the beneficiary has to contribute 10 per cent while nationalised cooperative banks advance the rest of the money.

Women can open stitching centres, boutiques, beauty parlours, grocery shops, general merchant shops, or sell readymade garments, stationery, bakery and general items under the scheme.

“During 2018-19, 92 women have benefited from Rs 77.65 lakh loans on which the corporation has provided Rs 45.35 lakh subsidy, and another 100 women (50 from the Scheduled Castes and the remaining from the general category) will be covered under the scheme during the current financial year,” says Brar.

Similarly, under the higher education loan scheme for girl students, the corporation bears 5 per cent of the total interest on loans availed.

Brar says that the scheme is applicable to every girl student, irrespective of caste and income of her family. With this loan amount, the beneficiaries can pursue higher education, including technical education, up to the doctorate level, anywhere in the country and abroad.

She says that the corporation has provided a subsidy of Rs 32.34 lakh on interest to 96 girl students during 2018-19 and the current financial year so far.

Brar appeals to eligible women and girl students to avail of the benefits of the government schemes to empower themselves and pursue higher education to become partners in the development and welfare of society.

100 more to benefit this year, says DC

While 92 women have benefited from Rs 77.65 lakh loans on which the corporation has provided Rs 45.35 lakh subsidy during 2018-19, another 100 women (50 from the Scheduled Castes and the remaining from the general category) will be covered under the scheme during the current financial year.— Sharandeep Kaur Brar, Deputy Commissioner