In India, tribal women are socially and economically disadvantaged. It makes it difficult for them to participate in any of the national development processes. Many Tribal Welfare Associations have been formed to empower their socioeconomic standing and to fight tirelessly for their welfare and the standardisation of their living conditions.
The National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) was established by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to aid in the overall development of both Scheduled Tribe men and women. Tribal Welfare Association trains tribal youth and women in alternative skills to complement and enhance their income and employment, as well as to meet community needs with locally accessible raw materials and human resources put to best use.
The Ministry has introduced the Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana (AMSY) to support tribal women in carrying out employment-generating activities by enabling loans at a low-interest rate.
Objectives
The AMSY programme focuses on:
- Increasing the financial independence of indigenous women to improve their quality of life
- Providing improved educational possibilities and assisting them in participating in the national economic growth process
- Providing and expanding work opportunities for tribal women in order to sustain their families
- Connecting community infrastructure gaps through assisting with education, employment, skill development, infrastructure, health, and cleanliness.
- Assisting them in preserving their community’s traditions and values
Eligibility criteria
The following are the eligibility criteria for tribal women to apply for loans under the scheme:
- The applicant must be a member of the Scheduled Tribes Community.
- In rural areas, the family’s yearly income should not exceed Rs.98,000 per year, while in urban areas, it should not exceed Rs.1,20,000 per year.
- Applicants above the age of 18 can apply for financial assistance through the NSTFDC Schemes.
Repayment procedure
Repayment Calendar
SCAs are responsible for repayments in line with the payment schedule communicated to them at the time monies are distributed.
The NSTFDC extends the payback time for SCAs by one year in addition to the return period.
Repayments should be completed in a maximum of ten years, including a reasonable moratorium period.
The repayment duration of the programme is determined by NSTFDC based on the nature of the activity and the unit’s cash-generating capacity.
Due dates
NSTFDC boosts quarterly requests for loan repayment on the 31st of March, 30th of June, 30th of September, and 31st of December, along with the rate of interest by the SCAs.
Period of Suspension
Demand Drafts/TTs/Pay Orders shall be requested by SCAs on or before the 5th of the preceding month of each quarter.
If the 5th falls on a bank holiday, the DDs/TTs must be drawn prior to the 5th and presented to the NSTFDC by the 10th of the following month.
Security
In order to receive financial support from NSTFDC, SCAs and other stakeholders must arrange for a Government Bank Guarantee.
To limit the Scheme’s repeating offerings, the SCAs and corresponding stakeholders should agree on a Block Government Guarantee.
Application Procedure
Persons belonging to the ST category who want to apply for a loan under NSTFDC schemes should go to the district offices of the State Channelising Agency of NSTFDC for assistance and file their loan applications.