Loans worth Rs23.91 billion have been given to start 57,913 new businesses in Punjab during the past three months.
Chairing a meeting for a briefing on Easy Business Finance and Card schemes, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said 6,753 women had obtained loans worth Rs3.42 billion to run their own businesses.
She directed the authorities concerned to complete the processing of pending applications for the loans as early as possible.
She directed the authorities to make arrangements to activate the Easy Business Card through WhatsApp as well.
The chief minister also sought a plan for export and manufacturing sector loans.
She said, "The Easy Business Finance and Easy Business Card programmes should not be stopped under any circumstances."
Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) Managing Director Sara Umar informed the CM that 3,010 citizens had obtained loans worth Rs18 billion under Chief Minister Easy Business Finance Scheme and 104,000 had acquired loans worth Rs43 billion under the Chief Minister Easy Business Card Scheme.
The MD added, "Out of 74,579 applications for Chief Minister Easy Business Finance, 2,505 have been approved and loans have been received by the applicants; whereas out of 12,029 applications for Chief Minister Easy Business Finance Tier II, 505 have been approved and loans released. Out of over 1.38 million applications for Chief Minister Easy Business Card Scheme, 104,133 have been approved."
The chief minister was informed that 1,312 applicants had got loans worth Rs3.91 billion for the transportation business, whereas 175 people had received Rs3.94 billion for distribution businesses.
"There is a trend of getting loans for professional services, agriculture, dairy, food, beautification, auto, fertiliser, pesticide and other businesses. The largest number of people are providing services through the Aasan Karobar Card under which 61,996 applicants took loans worth Rs26.13 billion and 24,522 people received loans worth Rs10.75 billion for trading and 10,699 people received Rs3.69 billion for small agri-businesses," the CM was informed.
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