GUWAHATI, April 19? The State Government?s failure to provide guarantee for availing National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) fund is likely to prove to be a major impediment in future release of funds by the NSFDC to the Assam State Development Corporation for Scheduled Castes Ltd (ASCDC). The NSFDC recently earmarked an amount of Rs 15.18 crore to the ASCDC as notional allocation for sanction during the current financial year 2002-2003.
The NSFDC is the apex body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for financing, facilitating and promoting economic development activities of the SCs. It primarily finances income generating schemes for the SCs through State channelising agencies (the ASCDC is the channelising agency for Assam) and other recognised institutions nominated by the respective State or Union Territory governments. However, for the uplift and all-round development of the weaker sections of the society, such highly liberalised schemes need to be properly backed by the State Government.
The amount released for the current financial year is meant for implementation of different income generating schemes for SC persons whose annual family income is below the double poverty line (DPL) income limit. The NSDFDC finances such schemes for the SCs at a concessional rate of interest through the ASCDC. During the last financial year 2001-2002, the NSFDC had sanctioned an amount of Rs 981.72 lakh as term loan to ASCDC for implementation of such schemes for the target group.