Chhattisgarh women SHGs get Rs 67 crore as business loans

The Chhattisgarh government has distributed nearly Rs 67 crore as business loans to more than 32,000 women self-help groups (SHGs) under a scheme during the last 14 years, officials have said.
Under the scheme, the Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh (CMK), loans are provided on easy terms to SHGs, said an official of the women and child development department, which manages it.
The department is operating the scheme since 2003.
Since 2003, Rs 66.95 crore as loans have been given to 32,407 SHGs in the state through the CMK scheme, he added.
Under it, women groups are first provided loans of up to Rs 50,000 at nominal annual interest rate of 3 per cent. After recovery of this amount in 24 instalments, they can avail loan of up to Rs 2 lakh next time.

They can return the second loan amount in 36 instalments, he said.
Besides, HIV-infected women are given Rs 10,000 loan after getting approval from the collector under this scheme. Moreover, SHGs of HIV-infected women are provided loan up to Rs 1 lakh, he added.
According to the officer, loans worth Rs 8.91crore were provided to SHGs in 2015-16, while the figure stood at Rs 9.29 crore in 2016-17.