Nayagarh: Banks allegedly deduct a whopping Rs 1 lakh upfront towards security from every Rs 5 lakh loan sanctioned to women self-help groups (WSHGs) under the Mission Shakti programme in this district.
The matter came to the fore at a recent loan mela organised for WSHGs at the DRDA conference hall, December 21, Tuesday.
According to belated reports, some self-help groups levelled allegations against the banks at the loan mela.
The issue cropped up when the block coordinator of the Mission Shakti was explaining how the government provides loans at zero per cent interest to WSHGs.
Some WSHG members alleged lack of cooperation from banks. They alleged despite clearing their loan along with interest, the interest is not credited to their accounts.
They have failed to reap the benefits of the government scheme as some banks do not cooperate. Jyotshna Panda, a woman SHG member, alleged some banks visit their homes and provide loans under Mission Shakti programme.
However, they charge as high as Rs 1 lakh as interest to be paid upfront for every Rs 5 lakh loan, Rs 50,000 for Rs 3 lakh loan and Rs 30,000 for Rs 2 lakh loan.
The banks deduct the security amount from the loan amounts before handing over the truncated amounts. As a result, various SHG groups face harassment in the hands of banks.
She claimed she has brought up these allegations in the loan mela to highlight the plight of SHG women.
Collector Poma Tudu said the state government provides interest free loans to women SHG groups to make them self-reliant. Earlier, women had to run around banks but failed to get aid.
Now state level officials of banks visit villages and sanction loans, she said. She called upon women members to pay off their loans in time and take another loan as a genuine beneficiary.
She advised women to utilise the loans in projects for which they have been sanctioned. She claimed the goal of the government in providing loans to WSHGs could never be fulfilled if they take loans and pay it with interest back to banks.
Subhash Chandra Ray, project director of the district rural development agency (DRDA) said the state government had set a target of Rs 217 crore loan to the banks for 8,405 WSHGs in Nayagarh district.
However, Rs 204.90 crore has been sanctioned to 7,936 WSHGs. Various banks organise loan melas from time to time.
Meanwhile, Nayagarh district has stood first in bank credit linkages and the Mukhyamantri Krushi Yojana. Samidha Padhi, coordinator of Mission Shakti said the government returns interest to the WSHGs if they pay back their loans with interest in time.
The interest amount is credited to their savings bank accounts. She assured that she would look into the complaints on banks deducting security from their loan amounts.
PNN