IMPHAL, January 24: The 2nd State Level PMEGP Exhibition began today at Bijoy Govinda Lampak organized by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission State Office, Paona Bazaar, Imphal under the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Govt. of India. The Prime Minister Employment Generation Program (PMEGP) is a beneficial scheme established in the year 2009 and implemented in the year 2010 in Manipur.
While speaking at the inaugural, Govindas Konthoujam, Minister of Commerce and Industries, Govt. of India said that he bank and beneficiaries of the scheme have made the scheme fail despite the Central Government sanctioniong 5 lakh as banks have not allocated all the money. He also alleged that the undue influence of MLAs and Ministers have also lead to the scheme failing since they put their own people as beneficiary. “For the year 2011-2012 the number of beneficiaries to be selected is 470 but 2500 beneficiaries were selected clandestinely. After investigations, it has been reduced into 1400,” the Minister said. Adding that while giving the loan, the banks have to check properly whether their entrepreneur is genuine or not, he further said that the selected beneficiares who have got loans should repay their dues to clear their loan which will only enable them get more loan amounts and assist in establishing more number of private units under the PMEGP scheme to wipe-out the unemployment.
Tolthang, Additional Director for Commerce speaking during the function said that PMEGP is one of the best schemes which has ever implemented. Saying that ICM Lamphelpat had provided training program to the beneficiaries to ensure that the scheme works well, he maintained that the beneficiaries on their part should work sincerely.
J Thatlinga, Assistant General Manager of SBI regional office said that the PMEGP is meant to generate employment and give opportunities to settle in their own respective areas and give the capacity to establish their own enterprise. While taking loan by the beneficiary the loanee should not forget about the repayment of their loan. “If the loanee repays their loan in time then the bank will be ready to sanction more loans, he said.
However, Khundrakpam Munal, a participant of the PMEGP exhibition from Khangabok Pallileikai and a state awardee, Thoubal Distrit who has a stall of mats made form “Kouna” said that he was assured a sum of Rs 50000 but that he had not received the full amount. He said that though he had applied for a loan of 5 lakhs, he had only got 44,000 which is not enough make the products as per the demand of customers.