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Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: The Mayor of Jammu city, Rajinder Sharma informed the Safai Saathis regarding welfare measures already put in place by the Government for the upliftment of poor masses while inaugurating a camp in this regard here, today.
Officers from SC, ST Development Corporation, J&K Bank, Revenue Department, Social Welfare Department and other line departments were present on the occasion to enlighten the Safai Saathis in this regard.
Encouraging Safai Saathis, the Mayor said: “In Jammu & Kashmir UT if one has self confidence then in the present regime none can stop anyone to progress because the Government presently has given so many facilities.”
He further said that Education Loan for the members minority communities is available on a meagre three per cent interest which has to be paid annually for which the repayment is to be made on getting job and after completing education those getting the loan are given six months to get job after which repayment of loan starts.
“Apart from this, if someone wishes to get a loan for skill development purpose same is given on subsidy and on a loan of up to Rs. two lakh there is 25 per cent subsidy,” the Mayor maintained adding: “If someone has to start a production unit then under PM Entrepreneurship Development Programme Rs. 50 lakh loan is available with 25 per cent subsidy while for women the subsidy is 35 per cent.”
He informed the Government has also started certain small skill developmental programmes after completion which provision of subsidised loan per cent remains there.
Sharma informed that earlier if a Safai Saathi has to get a loan of Rs. one lakh then he has to pay Rs. 20,000 to the middleman agent as commission and Rs. 500 each to two witnesses for putting signatures on the loan form resulting which only Rs. 79000 was given to the Safai Saathi while he was to repay with interest whole amount of Rs. one lakh.
Putting an end on this exploitation, the Mayor ensured online loan provision for Safai Saathis from JK Bank without any role of middlemen.
“Apart from this every year about 5000 people go outside J&K under PM Special Scholarship Scheme for which they have not to pay any boarding-lodging expenses,” Mayor Rajinder Sharma added, there is also the facility of Rs. 25 lakh Group Insurance for Safai Saathis from JK Bank.