Kanpur: A buyer-seller conference was organised as part of the divisional Khadi and Gramodyog exhibition held at Brijendra Swarup Park Lawn by the Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Gramodyog Board.The conference was attended by representatives from the Khadi Gramodyog Board, Khadi Gramodyog Commission, District Industries Centre, self-help groups, old and new entrepreneurs, Lead Bank officials, and office-bearers of the Khadi Gramodyog Federation.During the conference, entrepreneurs associated with Khadi and Gramodyog units prominently raised their issues. Experienced entrepreneurs stated that, due to unnecessary delays and formalities in the bank loan approval process, they had to make repeated visits, which led them to abandon their efforts midway in frustration.Speakers said that there are clear directives for providing loans without guarantee under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme and Chief Minister’s Employment Scheme. Even after being selected by the Unit Selection Committee, chaired by the district magistrate, Kanpur Nagar, banks unnecessarily harass them. In many cases, loans are not approved despite entrepreneurs presenting guarantees, while the government’s intention is to generate maximum employment through these schemes. The core objective of Khadi Gramodyog is to provide employment and promote environmental conservation.Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Khadi Gramodyog Federation, Suresh Gupta, detailed the problems faced by units. He said that the rebate system on Khadi from the Central govt should be reinstated as before, so that Khadi products can become more popular. He stated that the conference’s objective is also to exchange technology among entrepreneurs and share product information, thereby enhancing competitive capacity in the market.Coordinator Abhay Tripathi informed that a new scheme related to Khadi Gramodyog will be implemented soon. For this, a major conference will be organised, inviting ministers and senior officials to ensure effective solutions to entrepreneurs’ problems.District Gramodyog officer Ashok Sharma informed that the board established 105 new units this year, through which employment was provided to 407 families. He assured that the issues raised by entrepreneurs will be sent to headquarters for resolution.Chief Manager of Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Bank, Kanpur, Rajesh Kumar Giri, said that the bank wants to provide loans to every eligible entrepreneur, but many applications remain pending due to a lack of necessary documents. He clarified that applicants with complete documents are sanctioned loans within one week. Applicants with poor civil scores cannot be provided loans as per rules.
