THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, July 26: The Chief Minister Employment Generation Programme (CMEGP) made a good take-off in Palamu although it is yet to gain momentum.
DC’s effort
A personal effort of DC Shashi Ranjan has seen 3,615 applications for the (CMEGP) in the last three days. These applications poured in at a three-day camp held in all 21 blocks under the Palamu district from July 22 to July 24.
Additional Collector Kundan Kumar told this correspondent, “This mega camp was the brainchild of the DC Shashi Ranjan alone. The DC knew the CMEGP has to be taken down to households and so he arranged mega camps for it.”
“There has come no directive from the state for any camp to be held. The DC got it done on his own with the battery of his officers. The response was good,” he added.
CMEGP is not a consumption loan
“As the CMEGP is no consumption loan, people stare at it with wait and watch attitude,” added Kundan Kumar.
There is a format for the applicant to fill in all required documents and papers. However, the applicants have been too casual with the CMEGP form filling. “They don’t give mandatory certificates and documents,” lamented Kundan Kumar.
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Kumar said the applicant gives a self-attested copy of the residential certificate but fails to give age proof. The CMEGP is age bound 18 to 50 years. Again, they want a vehicle loan but don’t submit a copy of the driving licence. There is a 13-point checklist. “The applicant is expected to conform to it as per his demand for the loan,” reiterated Kundan Kumar.
Improper and inadequately filled CMEGP forms are rejectable outright if done online and hence applicants have been given time to submit papers and documents properly for online entries.
DC Shashi Ranjan during his visit to Sadar block mega camp for the CMEGP too had asked for the expeditious online entry for the offline applications.
However, the DC noticed with dismay that a large number of the applications for the CMEGP are half-heartedly filled, said Sadar block sources.
Only 1054 applications found valid
Only 1054 applications out of 3615 were found duly filled with papers and documents. Their online entries were done.
A guarantor for a loan above Rs 50,000 restricts many from applying for the CMEGP. A prospective loanee finds it hard to have a guarantor.
An applicant refusing to be identified said the guarantor is around but with a premium too. This is a major setback for the CMEGP as other provisions like rate of interest, moratorium period etc are quite affordable.
There are applications for e-rickshaws which come under the category of Rs 50,000 plus loan and where there is a guarantor mandated. Here the applicants are in a fix to go about it or not.
Palamu has a fair scope of business of marbles, tiles, sanitary fittings, iron gate grills, electricity equipment, almirahs, door frames etc where a loan of up to Rs 50,000 will not suffice.
On average 200 houses, both kachha and pucca, keep coming up in Palamu every 6 to 7 months, apart from the government shelter scheme, and here household items have a fair scope for the business. The CMEGP loan can be a handy one.
