Imphal, August 29: With the objective of boosting indigenous handicraft items by extending financial assistance, state Bank of India today distributed loan to female artisans of 19 self help groups (SHG) functioning under the Thoubal district-based NGO Women's Income Generation Centre (WIGC).

The loan distribution function was held today at the Thoubal Wangmataba office premise of the NGO with Under Secretary of state's Social Welfare depat L Guite and Chief Manager of SBI, Imphal Secretariat Branch KCK Basnik as the chief guest and president respectively.

Chief functionary of WIGC O Indira, SBI's Deputy Manager SM Roy choudhary and its MRO Margaret graced the occasion as guests of honour.

Since its establishment in 1994 WIGC is informed to have 75 SHGs functioning under it and the SBI targeting loan provision for all these SHGs in phased manner.

main activities of the SHGs is said to be making household and decorative items made of kouna.

Suggesting that loan applicants need to inculcate habit of repaying and plan for success of any endeavours, the chief guest in his brief address to the gathering highlighted that there would be no need to labour for acquiring loan by those who regularly clears their dues.

Rather it is the banking institutions that would exert pressure to the regular loan due payers to apply for further allocation, Guite said and called upon all genuine and interested entrepreneurs to avail financial opportunities procurable from banks.

The Chief Manager conveying that SBI has numerous schemes in its fold and is looking for sincere parties in the implementation of economy-oriented programmes prevailed upon all loan applicants to exhibit the same spirit and zeal in repaying their dues as was displayed when seeking loan.

In her speech, O Indira exhorted the women workers against diverting the loan amount to non-viable sector and to concentrate on the proven kouna item manufacturing activities.

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