The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB) here has disbursed Taka 96.30 crore as loan among the poor and low-income group people in last 8 years under its rural livelihood project named as Palli Jibikayan Prokolpa. The project was taken up by the LGRD ministry in 2000 to improve the lifestyle and overall economic condition of the poor segment of the population particularly the women by providing them soft term loan under a revolving fund. Under the project, a total of Taka about 96.30 crore have been allocated for 42,519 poor people who are the members of 1398 registered cooperative societies of 13 upazilas in the district. During last fiscal year, BRDB distributed Taka 17.11 crore while it recovered Taka 91.62 crore.

Officials said, the government initially allocated Taka 20.6 crore for running the project but the fund increased up to Taka around 100 crore in last 8 years by managing the fund under a revolving method. Under the project, BRDB disbursed Taka 7.61 crore in Patiya upzila, Taka 8.9 crore in Anowara upzila, Taka 9.87 crore in Hathazari upzila, Taka 7.98 crore in Boalkhali upzila, Taka 5.79 crore Mirshrai upzila, Taka 6.95 crore in Fatikchari upzila, Taka 6.15 crore in Banshkhali upzila, Taka 5.66 crore Sitakunda, Taka 10.14 crore in Satkania upzila, Taka 6.60 crore among 3436 persons in Raozan upzila, Taka 4.61 crore in Lohagara upzila, Taka 5.50 crore in Rangunia upzila and Taka 6.70 crore in Sawndip upazila.

Ranjit Kumar Chowdhury, deputy director (DD) of BRDB, Chittagong said the project has opened a new opportunity among the poor people to change their standared of their livings.

Under the project, loans are given to various potential sectors like fish cultivation, pottery, nursery, horticulture development, cow fattening, poultry firm, goat rearing, food processing, repairing and selling of irrigation equipment, paddy husking, carpeting, tailoring, sericulture, mat making, black smith and other incoming generating projects. According to BRDB, the scheme are gaining popularity among the marginal and low-income groups in the remote areas and helped them to become economically self- reliant as well as to free them from abject poverty.