HT Bureau
DIPHU, Oct 16: 368 women in Karbi Anglong district received no dues certificates under the Assam
Microfinance Incentive and Relief Schemes (AMFIRS) at a programme held at Government Boys Higher
Secondary School playground in Diphu on Monday.
District Commissioner of Karbi Anglong, Madhumita Bhagawati attended the programme and handed
over the certificates.
In her speech, DC Bhagawati said a total of 368 women in Karbi Anglong benefited by the scheme. She
said after getting these certificates women will once again be able to avail fresh loans for their economic
activities. She urged all the beneficiaries to make the best use of fresh loans and repay them on time.
The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude and thanked the state chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
for waiving their loans.
Our Bureau adds: A total of 6655 borrowers of Cachar district who took loans from various micro
finance companies on Monday received no- due certificates at an event organized by the Cachar district
administration at the Police Parade Ground in Silchar.
These no-due certificates were distributed under the Assam Micro Finance and Relief Scheme of the
state government.
Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy ,MLA Lakhipur Koushik Rai and Cachar district commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha
officially handed over these certificates to the eligible borrowers in presence of other dignitaries on the
occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, MP Roy said that through the Assam Micro Finance and Relief Scheme, a total
of 222949 borrowers under category III in the entire state will be given assistance through the no due
certificate. A total of 300 crore rupees will be disbursed among these beneficiaries.
Elaborating on the initiatives and efforts taken by the present government, Roy stated that the state
government is implementing various developmental projects right from micro finance, government
employment, health care facilities and other sectors
“More than 100 cabinet meetings were held at various district headquarters of the state in the last two
years and 75 per cent of the developmental projects have been implemented successfully,” said Roy.
“The central government has resolved the Kashmir issue and taken initiatives for the construction of the
Ram Mandir. The central government led by PM Modi is keen on implementing uniform civil code in the
country. The central government and our Prime Minister have played a pivotal role in bringing about the
overall development of the country,” he further said.
Speaking at the event, Lakhipur MLA Kaushik Rai said, “The present state government is implementing
its work in every field to fulfill the promises that it had made to the public before the elections. Be it
providing jobs, waiving of loans, Orunodoi scheme or bicycle distribution, the government has
attempted to bring about development in all sectors. The state government led by the chief minister,
Himanta Biswa Sarma is working relentlessly for the overall development of the state.”
District development commissioner Rajeev Roy also explained the purpose and the objectives of the
occasion.
Symbolically, no -due certificates were handed over to 12 borrowers as compensation by the dignitaries
on the occasion.
The Assam Micro Finance and Relief Scheme was launched in 2021. Its objective is to provide incentives
to eligible borrowers who have taken loans from various microfinance companies from time to time to
waive off their loans. The beneficiaries of this project are divided into three categories.
In the first category, those borrowers who are paying installments regularly, whose DPD (Days Past Due)
is zero, are given Rs 25,000 as a one-time assistance based on the remaining loan amount.
In the second catagory, those borrowers who have not paid installments up to 189 days, but their
accounts have not become NPA receive Rs 20,000 as overdue amount along with incentive from the
government.
In the third catagory are those borrowers who have outstanding loans up to a maximum of Rs 1,25,000
and borrowers whose account has become NPA as on 31/03/2021.
In the last two financial years in the first category, 872739 people have been provided assistance with a
total expenditure of Rs 1600 crores.
In the second category, 97938 people have been provided assistance with a total cost of Rs.190 crores.
A total of 222,949 borrowers under third category will be provided assistance by issuing formal no due
certificates, which will cost a total of Rs. 300 crores. Under the third category interest and penalty will
be borne by the lender. Priority will be given to borrowers of Rs 25,000 in the first phase. The
government is seriously considering helping borrowers of Rs 25,000-50,000 to make them eligible for
future loans as well.
Our Jorhat correspondent adds: State minister of finance, women and child development Ajanta Neog
on Monday launched the distribution of ‘no-due certificates’ to borrowers of micro loans, under the
‘Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme 2021 (AMFIRS), 2021, Category III' in Jorhat district.
Neog, who is also the guardian minister of Jorhat District, distributed the certificates to the borrowers at
a function organized at Jorhat District Sports Association.
In Jorhat district 18,535 beneficiaries under the scheme (Category III) will receive the certificates from
banks.
The distribution ceremony was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, MLAs of Jorhat and
Mariani, district administration officials and others.
Neog, stating that altogether 2.5 lakh women across the state have been benefited under category III of
the scheme, said that the AMFIRS was launched by the state government to provide relief to women
loan borrowers who were severely hit during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
While stating that altogether about 12.5 lakh women across the state have benefited under the entire
scheme, Neog appealed to the beneficiaries to repay loans on time that they are able to carry on
different business ventures to be economically independent and support the families.
Jorhat district commissioner Pulak Mahanta delivered the welcome address on the occasion.
Our Nagaon Correspondent adds: Meanwhile, state transport minister and the guardian minister of
Nagaon district Parimal Suklabaidya on Monday ceremonially distributed no dues certificates for the
third phase among the women who took loan from microfinance bank or other financial institutions
during a programme held at the Nagaon Nehrubali field in Nagaon. The minister handed over the
certificates to 12 women beneficiaries, leaving the rest to the district administration for distribution
soon.
In the third phase 16,942 women beneficiaries will receive the no-dues certificates in the district. In the
first and second phases, over 86,955 women beneficiaries had already received them in the district.
While addressing the occasion the minister asserted that a society or a family would be prosperous only
then when they would be free from any kind of debts.
Our Tezpur Correspondent adds: Yet in another endeavour to help the underprivileged woman of the
society, state minister for housing and urban development, Ashok Singhal ceremonially distributed no
dues certificate to the category-III borrowers under the Assam Micro-Finance Incentive And Relief
Scheme (AMFIRS) on Monday during a function held at the Collegiate School field in Tezpur.
Addressing the gathering Ashok Singhal said, “Under the mentioned scheme our government is
providing financial assistance of Rs. 300 crore to 2.22 lakhs category-III borrowers. With the distribution
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of the no-due certificate the eligible 2,22,949 borrowers will be benefitted with a total outlay of Rs. 300
crore in this phase. Under aategory III, interests and penalties accrued, if any is borne by the respective
lenders, against each of the NPA borrower. In first phase, borrowers in slab of 0-25000 rupees loan have
been prioritized. The government is seriously considering benefitting borrowers in the slab of Rs. 25000
to 50000 loan as well.”
He also mentioned that the no due certificate being handed over to eligible borrowers will serve twin
objectives such as clearing off all pending dues against the beneficiary NPA borrower, including the
principal amount, interest and penalty, if any while making borrower creditworthy for all future Loans.
“This is one time incentive and relief scheme by the state government and will be covering micro loans
availed till March 31, 2021 only. All the borrowings, after this period will be out of the purview of this
scheme and therefore, such borrowers are encouraged to make their repayment in time as per lending
norms. Lenders have also been advised to follow all RBI stipulated norms for micro financing, including
Master Direction–Reserve Bank of India (Regulatory Framework for Microfinance Loans) Directions,
2022 (Updated as on July 25, 2022),” Singhal said.
Terming the scheme a historic step by the state government for relieving the poor women from the
pressure of debt he also said that Indian civilization always teaches us to honour the woman and it was a
step towards this through this historic step. He also stated that the Assam Microfinance Incentive and
Relief Scheme, 2021 is the first of its kind scheme in the country to strengthen the microfinance sector
and the state government has helped poor microfinance borrowers to clear off their dues in part or
fully and restore their credit worthiness ensuring the continuity of microfinance in supporting the
economic activities of low income and poor households of the state.
In the programme, local MLA Prithivi Raj Rabha, Barchala MLA Ganesh Limbu, Sonitpur district
commissioner Deba Kumar Mishra among others were present on the occasion. Later the minister
attended a series of programme in his home constituency, Dhekiajuli and distributed cheque to 147
numbers of financially poor patients as financial assistance. He also took part in the ‘Merey Mitti Merey
Desh’ programme campaign held in his constituency.
