Goa State Minorities Finance and Development Corporation chairman Francisco Silveira has urged people belonging to the minorities to come forward and avail the government schemes specially formulated for their benefit.
Speaking at an awareness programme at Agassaim Church hall on Sunday, Silveira informed that not too many people come forward to avail the schemes due to which the funds remain unutilized.
“Currently, the corporation has around Rs 1 crore and until that amount is utilized, we cannot ask for more funds,” Silveira informed and urged the minorities to apply for the different schemes offered.
“The corporation aims at making the minorities self-employed and the staff is more than willing to help those who come forward,” Silveira added.
Later, the staff explained the different schemes offered like term loans for self-employment, artisan credit scheme and microfinancing scheme.
However, some people from the gathering questioned the need for a government surety for a loan of over Rs 1 lakh.
“Today, no government servant wants to remain as a surety and this is a big hurdle in availing loans,” a local pointed out, to which the gathering was assured that the same would be placed at the Board of Directors meeting to come out with a solution on the issue.
Corporation MD Ajit Panchwadkar, Board of Directors Salil Isani, Seby Fernandes, Gilbert Fernandes and Diona Korgaonkar, Agassaim sarpanch Emmie Fernandes, Neura sarpanch Sunita Naik, Siridao sarpanch Suvarna Kunkalienkar, Batim sarpanch Mazel Fernandes and others were present.
