Tk 294cr micro-credit for northern districts

The Food and Disaster Manage-ment Ministry, Polli

Kormosahaok Foundation (PKSF) and Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BDRD) will disburse the loans at very small interest rates.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

This is the first such comprehensive programme launched by the government in the region.

The PKSP and the ministry will charge four per cent 'simple' interest and BRDB will realise eight percent.

Beneficiaries will get loans ranging from Tk 5000 to

20,000 for income generating activities and repayment will start six months after receipt of loans, sources said.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on

Food and Disaster Management Md. Shahajahan on

Sunday formally launched the programme at an open discussion at Rangpur Circuit House.

He said the government attaches 'top priority' to poverty alleviation in the region and therefore has taken up the special credit programme.

A three-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Food and Disaster Management Ministry, which visited some of the monga-affected areas, were also present on the occasion. Its members are Md Shajahan, Awami League leader Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury Liton and Jatiya Party leader Noor Mohammed Mondol

The programme will cover Pirgachha, Gangachara, Pirganj and Rangpur Sader upazilas. Of the amount, Tk two crore is in hand.

District administration sources said that loan disbursement will start soon.

The ministry under its progra-mme titled 'Durjog Jonito

Zhuki Hrash Kormosuchi' has already sanctioned Tk four crore for Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts.

Deputy Minister for Food and Disaster management

Asadul Habib Dulu formally inaugurated the micro

credit programme in Lalmonirhat district earlier.

About Tk two crore is ready for distribution among flood hit people in Hatibandha, Adidtmari, Pathgram and Lalmonirhat Sader upzilas, sources said.

The PKSF will distribute the loans in eight northern districts under greater Rangpur and Dinajpur.

PKSF will disburse the loans through its partner NGOs- RDRS, ASOD, USDO, SOLIDARITY, SSS, EKATA, SSUS and GBK.

Rangpur Regional Manager of PKSF told The Daily Star that the micro-credit programme aims at supporting the poor in removing poverty.

The BRDB will cover 10 upazilas under its programme titled ' Polli Daridra Bimochon Karmosuchi' (rural poverty alleviation progra-mme. The upazilaas include Rajibpur, Fulbari, Roumari and Chilmari in Kurigram district; Ful-chhari and Shaghata in Gibandha; Pathgram in Lalmonirhat; Kaunia and Sadar in Rangpur and Dimla in Nilphamari district.

BDRB will disburse Tk two crore every month. Bisbursement has already started, Rangpur Deputy Commissioner said.