Women and Child Development Department has distributed loans of Rs3 crore 31 lakh 57 thousand to about 550 women under Saksham Yojana over the period of last four years, so that they could start their own business and become financially independent.
Under this scheme of the department that was started in year 2009-10, loans are provided to the widow, divorcee and unmarried women of age-group 35-45 years, for starting their own business.
Officials of Women and Child Development Department said that under this scheme, loan of Rs45.70 lakh was provided to 68 beneficiary women in the year 2009-10. Moreover, in year 2010-11, loan of Rs1.01 lakh was provided to 176 beneficiary women of state and in the year 2011-12, Rs1 crore 6 lakh 55 thousand was distributed to 180 women beneficiaries.
As per the provisional data received, loan of Rs78.32 lakh has been distributed to 116 women for various self-employment ventures, in year 2012-13. Officials also informed that these beneficiary women have become financially self-dependent with their involvement in trades like ration shop, beauty parlor, fisheries, animal husbandry, dairy, construction of cemented fencing poles, mini rice mills, sewing and cloth shop etc.