VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Jagan Reddy will, with the press of a button on Wednesday, deposit Rs 395 crore into the bank accounts of 3.95 lakh beneficiaries of the ‘Jagananna Thodu’.
He will also disburse Rs 15.16 crore as interest reimbursement for Jagananna Thodu loans of the past six months. The programme will be held in the CM Camp Office at Tadepalli.
The officials said Jagananna Thodu is of great help to small traders. The government is offering Rs 10,000 for such traders/vendors, and handicrafts men/women by way of an interest-free loan. The government bears the entire interest burden for Rs 10,000 each being disbursed to 3.95 lakh small traders and traditional handicrafts through banks.
Through this scheme, so far Rs 2,011 crore of interest-free loans were provided to 15,03,558 beneficiaries. The interest paid back by the Jagan-led government to 12.50 lakh beneficiaries, who returned their loans on time, was Rs 48.48 crore.
The government pays the interest to the banks every six months, which is directly deposited in the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
Beneficiaries are eligible to get an interest-free loan again once the present loan is cleared.
Those who have set up permanent or temporary shops in villages and towns in a space of about 5 feet length and 5 feet width are eligible for Jagananna Thodu. Also, those who make a living by selling goods, vegetables, fruits and food items on footpaths and streets on pushcarts, or run roadside tiffin centers, sell goods in baskets and baskets, do business on bicycles, motorcycles and auto rickshaws are eligible for the interest-free loan.
People engaged in occupations such as handloom, artisans such as brass workers, Bobbili Veena, Etikoppaka, Kondapalli toys, Kalankari, puppets, other paraphernalia makers, lace works, potters etc are also eligible.
“Those who are eligible and whose names are not entered in the present list of beneficiaries need not worry. They may contact the village and ward volunteers or go to the nearest village and ward secretariat and apply,” officials said.
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