Provincial Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal inaugurated provision of loans to the skilled persons on soft conditions for the revival of cottage industry under the auspices of Punjab Small Industries Corporation at Al-Hamra Hall on Thursday.
Initially under this scheme skilled persons will be given soft loans amounting to rupees three lac in 13 districts of the province. During the initial phase loans amounting to rupees 30 crore will be distributed under this schemes.
In order to make the process transparent for provision of loans, mobile application Dastkaar is being introduced through which the applicant will be informed about every process regarding provision of loan and the process for returning it.
Provincial Minister while addressing the inaugural ceremony has said that Punjab government has launched loans scheme for the revival of cottage industry in 36 districts of the province. This scheme will prove to be a milestone for the promotion of handicraft and for the prosperity of artisans.
This will prove to be an important step towards provision of employment, elimination of poverty, economic progress and prosperity of the country.
We will not let the skill of handicrafts dwindle rather we will provide all possible resources for the promotion of their skill, he added.
The government will itself do marketing of produced items of handicrafts by making a website. He further said that Cottage Industry Authority is being set up for the revival of cottage industry and cottage industry policy will also be formulated soon.
Three months grace period has been fixed for returning the loans being given under this scheme while four month grace period will be fixed for the women, he maintained.
A country cannot advance forward without empowering women so that it has been directed to include 25 percent women under this scheme and operational cost for them will also be reduced.
Aslam Iqbal further directed in order to ensure transparency of this scheme, toll free number should be introduced and he will personally monitor all the complaints. Loan scheme will be very transparent and no loan will be given on anyone’s recommendation.
If favour is proved in the process of giving loans then the responsible found will not remain on his post.
PTI government has also prepared the programme for giving loans amounting to Rs.5 million to the skilled youth in order to initiate their own business which will soon be started, he concluded.
