Mumbai: Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government is trying its best to appease the backward community and scheduled castes (SC). The state cabinet on Tuesday approved a government guarantee for loans worth Rs 325 crore from the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), a branch of the ministry of social justice and empowerment, to various corporation bodies of the state government for the backward community and the handicapped. The meeting was chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The cabinet also approved the reduction in guarantee rate from Rs 2 to 50 paise per Rs100 per year.
The state has approved loan guarantee of Rs 135 crore for the Mahatma Phule Backward Class Development Corporation of the social justice department (SJD) from NSFDC. It also approved Rs 70 crore as government guarantee of loan from the NSFDC for Lokshahir Anna Bhau Sathe Development Corporation Limited of SJD.
According to the cabinet decision, the state has extended its guarantee for loan worth Rs 50 crore to the Sant Rohidas Leather Industries and Charmakar Development Corporation Ltd, Rs 70 crore to the Maharashtra State Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation. These corporations have been formed to uplift lifestyle of the deprived and backward peoples.
A cabinet minister, requesting anonymity, said that Charmakars and Matangs are key components of the SC population in the state. Even Mahars dominate the discourse around SCs. However, these two sub-castes will play an important role for the Shiv Sena and the BJP in the coming election. All the four corporations would be used to reach out these castes.
A senior official from Mantralaya said that these guarantees would help avail the loans to these corporations from NSFDC to implement various schemes as well as to give loans to needy entrepreneurs. He also said that Mr. Fadnavis had held a meeting recently with the department on this issue and had directed it to come up with a proposal under which the government guarantee would be extended.“The decision will help implement various central government’s social justice department’s schemes for the deprived sections of the society,” he added.
