Gorakhpur’s terracotta craftsmen to get easy bank loans

The bank has made an action plan to give easy loans to 5,000 craftsmen and the target is to provide loans of ₹25 crore

LUCKNOW Apart from financial assistance from the state government, terracotta craftsmen based in villages of Gorakhpur will get easy loans from Punjab & Sind Bank to expand their business.

The bank will work closely with the department of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). (Pic for representation)

The bank has made an action plan to give easy loans to 5,000 craftsmen and the target is to provide loans of ₹25 crore. The bank will work closely with the department of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), said a state government spokesperson.

A delegation of officers of Punjab & Sind Bank, including executive director, Ramjas Yadav, deputy general manager, Vinay Khandelwal, chief managers Vinay Kumar Ojha and Anchal Srivastava met chief minister Yogi Adityanath and additional chief secretary (MSME) Navneet Sehgal to discuss the plan to assist terracotta craftsmen of Gorakhpur.

The CM told bank officers about the specialty of Gorakhpur’s terracotta craft. After its inclusion in the ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) scheme, terracotta is gaining ground in the country as well as at the global level. “With the support of ODOP, there is such a demand for terracotta products that craftsmen are busy meeting schedules to supply orders. Terracotta is also increasing employment on a large scale in the area,” he said.

ACS (MSME) Navneet Sehgal told the bank delegation that working on the self-reliance mantra of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the ODOP scheme is playing a big role in economic progress and employment generation by promoting a specific craft or product in each district of UP. “A vision of chief minister, the ODOP is providing self-reliance to skilled people in the state,” he added.

Craftsmen of Gorakhpur are making about 1,000 types of products and there is tremendous demand for these. Terracotta has also got the GI (Geographical Indication) tag. “Punjab & Sind Bank’s plan to give loans to terracotta craftsmen would go a long way in helping craftsmen to take their business to new heights,” he said.