COIMBATORE: Union minister for finance Nirmala Sitharaman distributed bank loans to the tune of Rs 3,749 crore under various schemes PMMY, Stand-Up India, Atal Pension Yojana and Agriculture Infrastructure Fund during a credit outreach programme organised by banks in Coimbatore on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Many are complaining about the cess collected along with the taxes by the central government, which are not shared with the states. We don’t keep the cess for ourselves.
We give it back to the people through various schemes. Today (Tuesday), through the AIF, a farmers’ society has received loan of around Rs 1 crore through the NABARD for just 1% interest. A total of 23,800 people have received loan today totalling Rs 3,749 crore,” she said.
Meanwhile, furore broke out in the event when an entrepreneur interrupted the programme to seek the minister’s attention to complain about his loan application which wasn’t approved for over two years. The minister called him on to the stage and held inquiries.