Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a contribution of Rs 100 crore by the state government towards the ‘Micro Lending Scheme’ of the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NeDFI) at the Guwahati-based headquarters of the public financial institution on August 9.
‘NeDFI Micro Lending Scheme’, aimed at lending a helping hand to the small enterprises and entrepreneurs of the Northeast region was launched on August 9 by the chief minister on the occasion of its 27th foundation day.
This apart, the CM also launched the ‘NeDFI Haat’ website, a mobile-based application titled ‘Advancing Northeast’ – a joint initiative between NeDFI and North Eastern Council (NEC).
Himanta Biswa Sarma also inaugurated the training programme being conducted by NeDFI for aspirants of the ‘Agniveer’ recruitment scheme and distributed local weavers-woven, handloom-produced uniforms to school students.
Addressing the occasion, the chief minister congratulated the financial institution, providing assistance to micro, small, medium and large enterprises for setting up industrial, and infrastructure projects in the region, for having completed 27 years of glorious existence.
“NeDFI is playing an important role in empowering our region and its people. I hope the NeDFI Micro Lending Scheme with loan size up to Rs 2 lakh per beneficiary will help micro-entrepreneurs in setting up and expanding their economic activities in Assam and other parts of Northeast,” the chief minister said, adding: “I urge the people of the region to take the benefits of the scheme and lead a life of self-reliance and independence and contribute towards the growth of the society.”
Sarma stated that the current dispensation at the Centre and the state have a clear agenda of empowering the people of the region, especially the youths, through the entrepreneurial route.
This, the CM stated, would bestow financial independence and employment opportunities for the youths of the region.
Glad to launch 5 initiatives to mark 27 years of @NEDFi_Official.
The programmes:
👉NEDFi Micro Lending Scheme for small enterprises
👉School uniforms made by local weavers
👉NEDFi Haat website
👉Training programme for Agniveer applicants
👉Mobile app for advancing NE pic.twitter.com/nxLflR3zzu— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 9, 2022
Sarma also said that the Assam government has well-laid-out plans and policies in place for giving a boost to the start-up environment, cluster growth and enterprise development in the state.
Speaking on the ‘NeDFI Haat’ website launched on the occasion, the chief minister said: “It (the website) will be a very powerful platform for market linkages to the artisans and the weavers. I am happy to learn that with the launch of this website, our products will now be made easily available all over the country as well as abroad.”
He further added: “It will help increase NeDFI’s presence cutting across all boundaries and frontiers.”
The chief minister also spoke of the state government’s ‘One District-One Product’ agenda, which when fully implemented, he said, would lead to financial gains for hundreds of thousands of rural folks in the interiors of the state.
