Kiran Bedi cautions rural women against private money lenders

Puducherry: Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Saturday cautioned women in rural areas not to fall prey to private money lenders and borrow loans only from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to avoid pitfalls of debt trap. 

Bedi who was on a weekend visit to Soriyankuppam village near here today said, “Women in villages should not go in for loans offered by private money leaders who levy exorbitant rate of interest and land them in perpetual indebtedness.” 

Her comments come in the wake of recent death of four members of a family in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, over alleged harassment by money lenders. A release from the Raj Nivas said at the end of her visit that Lt Governor asked the rural women to “make use of the various schemes evolved by NABARD to promote their economic status and avail loans available from the bank at four percent rate of interest.” 

The former IPS officer also said that the villagers should also make use of loans available under various central and state government-sponsored programmes to improve their economic status and nurture their livelihood sources. She also participated in certain rural games conducted as part of the celebration of the forthcoming 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' linked to the celebration of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel falling on on October 31, the release said. 

Bedi appealed to the villagers to adhere to various dos and donts to prevent breeding of mosquitoes and occurrence of vector borne ailments. Meanwhile, in her twitter handle today she said, “Alcoholism is rampant in rural and urban areas in Puducherry.” She also pointed out that “empowered women will have to step in to nourish and protect the families of the people keeping in mind their social security and over all development. “Puducherry must reduce its dependence on sin money coming from alcohol as women and children are suffering,” Bedi added.