17 January 2007

Local Schemes


Micro Credit

It was recently announced that the Postal Department would be shortly introducing a 'Micro Credit' scheme for the benefit of Women Self-Help Groups in the Tiruvannamalai District.

Under the 'Micro Credit' members of the Women Self Help Groups are required to open savings accounts in their nearest post office and, after maintaining an account for three to six months, will then be eligible to apply for loan assistance from the scheme. The scheme is to be formally launched during this upcoming February.

A NABARD-assisted computer-training programme scheme for postal employees was also recently inaugurated on Friday. All 255 Post Offices attached to 10 divisions in the Chennai region have been fully computerised, with the last phase of computerisation in 54 Post Offices being completed this year.


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Free Gas Stoves

It is anticipated that 300,000 free cooking gas connections will be given before the end of March. Free gas stove tops and connections will be given initially to 1,000 families.

The Government has not laid any conditions regarding the eligibity of candidates for the free stove and gas connection, stressing that anyone without an exisiting gas connection could apply for the scheme.

The only criteria, whilst selecting beneficiaries, is that that applicants should have a two-foot high platform or shelf so that the stove can be placed above the cylinder and in the case of huts, the hay roof should not be set at a precarious low height. High quality ISO certified suraksha connection tubing would also be used throughout the scheme.

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