Implement Mudra across all TN districts: Nirmala Sitharaman

Chennai: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged the Tamil Nadu government to implement the Centre’s Mudra Yojana in the districts in a big way and ensure people benefited from the scheme.

On her maiden visit to the city after becoming the Defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said under this scheme one could obtain loans without producing any collateral, including gold ornaments. “We say from Delhi that there is a Mudra scheme. But every state has a specific industry. Like the crackers business in Sivakasi. My request is that it (the scheme) should go to the deserving people,” she said.

Addressing a huge gathering after inaugurating the Mudra loan campaign here, she said there was a need to conduct an awareness campaign about this yojana in all the district and urged the State government to accord priority to the districts having specialised industries. For instance, mat made in Pathamadai near Tirunelveli or the fishermen community.

“Over 75 of every 100 beneficiaries of Mudra loans are women which shows the Centre’s concern for them… the poor are hesitating to visit banks as they lack confidence…I request the minister (Municipal Administration & Rural Development S.P. Velumani who was present on the occasion) to take steps to implement Mudra scheme for the benefit of the lower middle-class people,” she said.

Speaking on the occasion Velumani said, “right from the time the Prime Minister implemented Mudra loan scheme in 2015, lakhs of aspiring entrepreneurs in the state were able to successfully start and develop businesses.”

About 45 pavilions were put up by various banks explaining the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY). The campaign was jointly organised by Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department, government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai district administration and SLBC.