Government schemes fail to meet targets in 2022-23: SLBC Report

The achievement of the target – in terms of cases sanctioned by the banks – stood at just 3.16 per cent for the year ending March 2023 for GSCDC, which provides financial assistance to SC beneficiaries living Below Poverty Line (BPL).

“Sponsoring of applications was only 871 as against the target of 5,000 for 2022-23. Of these only 158 applications were sanctioned, while 403 applications got rejected by the banks. Member banks are requested to accord priority to dispose of pending 310 loan applications at the earliest, since financing the loan applications sponsored by GSCDC form a part of weaker section advances,” the report said.

The SLBC also did not find the performance of DTAISY up to the desired level. The scheme introduced in 2014 by then chief minister Anandiben Patel to provide working capital at low interest rates to workmen saw banks sanctioning only 515 of the 2,577 applications during the entire year. A total of 938 applications got rejected and 1,124 remained pending.

The beneficiaries under this scheme include scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, women, visually impaired or disabled with more than 40 per cent disability, residing in urban and rural areas and registered as artisans with Indext-C of state cottage and rural industries department. Compared to the 2,577 applications received during the year, only 515 were sanctioned, while 938 got rejected under the DTAISY scheme.

The minutes of the SLBC meeting also highlight the performance of these schemes. Pointing out the “low achievement” of schemes run by GSCDC and DCWD, the report stated that “the state government was urged to source more qualitative applications under the scheme”, while the “member banks were requested to improve performance under all government-sponsored schemes, which are aimed at economic upliftment of the weaker section of society”.

Under the developing castes welfare department (DCWD), of the 2,114 applications, only 387 were sanctioned, while 187 applications got rejected and 1,540 remained pending. “Banks are requested to dispose of the 1,540 pending applications on merit at the earliest,” stated the report.

The target achieved under the Vajpayee Bankable Yojana (VBY) – financial assistance is provided to craftsmen for self-employment in urban and rural areas – dipped to 84.18 per cent from 89.56 the previous year.

SLBC also asked banks to expedite the 40,692 applications pending under the scheme.
In comparison, other schemes like Jyoti Gram Vikas Yojana reported 107 per cent achievement of the yearly target.