Empowering Scheduled Castes: NSFDC’s Workshop Enhances Financial Support for Marginalized Communities
Shri C. Ramesh Rao, Chief General Manager (CGM) of the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), addressed a Press Conference regarding the Workshop-cum-Management Programme. NSFDC, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, has been providing subsidized interest rate loans to Scheduled Castes with an annual family income of up to Rs. 3.00 lakhs for income-generating projects and educational purposes. These loans are channeled through State Channelizing agencies, Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks, and Non-Banking Financial Institutions. As of June 30, 2023, NSFDC has released an amount of Rs. 7648.89 crores for approximately 85.90 lakh households under credit-based schemes. Additionally, NSFDC has sanctioned Rs. 274.26 crores for Skill Training Programmes, benefiting 188,727 beneficiaries through various Skill Training partners under non-credit-based schemes.
In order to strengthen the relationship with Channelizing agencies, NSFDC organized a workshop cum Management Development Programme. This event aimed to train officials from State Scheduled Castes Development Corporations (State Channelizing Agencies of NSFDC) and officials from Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks, and other Non-Banking Financial Institutions (NSFDC’s other channel partners). The two-day event took place on July 27 and 28, 2023, in Delhi. The programme was inaugurated on July 27 by Sh. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, who addressed the officials of State Scheduled Caste Development Corporations. On July 28, the programme was inaugurated by Sh. A. Narayanswamy, Minister of State, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, and he addressed the officials from Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks, and Non-Banking Financial Institutions. The event was also graced by senior officials from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, as well as Mr. Shri Rajnish Kumar Jenaw, CMD, and other senior officials of NSFDC.
The workshop served as a platform for discussing emerging issues, sharing experiences, and addressing development and challenges in the field of Development Finance for Scheduled Castes. Among the focal points of the event was the implementation of the Social Benefit Management System (SBMS), a software designed for efficient and transparent loan management systems. Through this workshop, participants identified challenges and opportunities to enhance financial assistance for the target group. The programme saw the participation of 77 officials from 49 State channelizing agencies and other Channel Partners of NSFDC. During the Press Conference on the Workshop-cum-Management Programme of the National Scheduled Caste Finance & Development Corporation, Shri Rajnish Kumar Jenaw, CMD, Shri C. Ramesh Rao, CGM, and Shri Rajesh Bihari, CGM, responded to media inquiries.