State govt released Rs 902 cr for SHG loans

 Telangana | Written by : Suryaa Desk Updated: Tue, Aug 21, 2018, 12:18 PM

The State government on Monday released Rs 902 crore towards payment of State’s share of interest against loans availed by Self Help Groups (SHGs) in the State, bringing cheer to about 70 lakh members of SHGs.Announcing this at a press conference here, Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Jupally Krishna Rao said the Centre now needs to release its share of Rs 339 crore towards SHGs interest-free loans. “We will approach the Union Minister for Panchayat Raj for release of pending dues and ensure quick release of interest amount,” the Minister said. 


On disbursement of interest free loans to various groups, Rao said the State government had given Rs 7,900 crore through banks and Streenidhi. It set Rs 8,800 crore loan disbursement target for current financial year and had already released Rs 2,000 crore till date. He appealed to the SHGs to utilise the funds optimally for financial development and set up household industries and other economic activities.


The Minister directed the recently appointed special officers for local bodies to ensure proper sanitation in village besides taking care of other developmental activities. “Special officers should stay in villages and monitor developmental activities including setting up of nurseries, dump yards and LED lights installation. The special officers must bring about awareness among villagers on sanitation and spread of diseases in the light of continuing rains in the State,” Rao said, adding that if required special officers would be given a free hand to utilize Gram Panchayat funds and appoint daily wage labours for sanitation and other works.


The Minister said the State was ready to recruit new village secretaries, but the recruitment process will only be taken up once the Central government accords its approval on new zonal system.He said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had, under humanitarian grounds, increased salaries to sanitary workers to Rs 8,500 and it will be credited into the accounts of workers. “The government has regularized 90 per cent of sanitation workers who were appointed before 1994 and is ready to regularize the remaining workers if there are any,” the Minister said.


The PR Minister said that to give a helping hand to rain-affected people in Kerala, he has decided to donate one month’s salary to the Kerala government and appealed to the people to take part in Kerala relief operations.