Belagavi:  Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that his government aims to reach out to 4.5 lakh street vendors across the State through Badavara Bandhu interest-free loan scheme.

Launching the scheme by symbolically handing over the cheque to a few beneficiaries at the programme held at Dharmanath Bhavan here yesterday that also marked the inauguration of Kayaka scheme that aims to boost entrepreneurship among members of Self-Help Groups, Kumaraswamy said that Badavara Bandhu scheme  aims to rescue street vendors from the clutches of private money lenders.

He said that the government would provide requisite training to Self-Help Group members to manufacture various products besides to create marketing opportunities and market them under Kayaka scheme.

The government plans to purchase the products besides comming to the support of women Self-Help Groups involved in manufacturing various products. A decision to this effect would be taken very soon. The intention behind launching these two schemes is to help poor besides helping street vendors who are  living in debts and penury.

The government intends to roll out more such schemes to uplift the poor and women in coming days.

Misleading:  Training his guns on Opposition BJP leaders for misleading the people on loan waiver announcement, he said that a big chunk of the farm loan waiver of Rs. 29,000 crore will go to the North Karnataka region’s 12 districts including Belagavi, Gulbarga and other districts.   

Of the total Rs. 46,753 crore being spent towards farm loan waiver in the State, Rs. 29,190 crore will be spent on northern region that has 12 districts. Bidar District will get Rs. 1,636 cr,  Kalaburgi Rs. 3,065 cr, Yadgir Rs. 1,179 cr, Raichur Rs. 2,210 cr, Koppal Rs. 1,098 cr, Ballari district Rs. 4,719 crore, Bagalkot Rs. 3,962 cr, Vijapura Rs. 3,271 cr, Dharwad Rs. 1,854 cr, Gadag Rs. 1,815 cr and  Haveri district Rs. 2,113 cr.

As against this, Old Mysore region that comprise 12 districts will get Rs. 12,073 crore, he said. Central Karnataka, which comprise three districts, will get Rs. 3,981 crore while the coastal region with three districts will receive Rs. 1,507 crore, Kumaraswamy added.

He said that there was a challenge before the government to waive Rs. 46,000 crore farmer loans, but some were carrying out a misleading campaign. The CM asked the farmers not to heed to such campaigns but have trust in the government while assuring that the government would waive farmer loans.

Despite the northern part of the State getting the maximum benefit, it was unfortunate that it was being branded that North Karnataka region was being neglected by the incumbent government.

“There is no question of government showing discrimination towards North Karnataka. I am not biased to either the Southern or Northern parts of the State. The government is committed towards the overall development of the State and working in favour of the poor and farmers. These people need not have any apprehensions in this regard”, he said.

Karnataka Model: Kumaraswamy said that the State loan waiver scheme was a model for the entire country. Officials of various States including the Union Government were seeking information and visiting the State to study the scheme and added that the government was also working out plans towards strengthening the farmers and making them debt-free by encouraging them to adopt different agriculture models, which requires some time.

He clarified that neither himself nor his government was in favour of any particular community but was committed towards the comprehensive development of all sections of the people and the State.

Earlier, Co-operation Minister Bandeppa Kashempur said that the Badavara Bandhu and Kayaka were flagship schemes of the State Government. The interest-free loan scheme had been implemented to put a check on the meter-interest menace, he added. Under the scheme, street vendors would get loans from Rs 2,000 to Rs. 10,000 without any collateral security while 4.5 lakh street vendors would be benefited.

Kayaka scheme had been introduced to empower the women Self-Help Groups under which, interest-free loans up to Rs. 5 lakh would be provided. The scheme has drawn inspiration from the Kayaka principle (principle of hard work) of 12th-century reformers including Basavanna, he said.

Ministers S.R. Mahesh, Srinivas and Venkatrao Nadagouda, Belagavi Mayor  Basappa Chikkaldinni and officials of various departments were present.

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