Finance company allegedly coerces SHG members to recover loans ; four women arrested

Bhawanipatna, 21/12: Odisha government has launched Mission Shakti to encourage formation of women self help groups (SHGs) for ensuring women empowerment. The finance companies extend loan to these groups through the state government's support. However, a finance company is accused to be coercing and blackmailing the self help group of Kalahandi district. The allegation has come from Bhawanipatna in the Kalahandi district. L & T Finance Company of West Bengal is allegedly recovering loan from the SHG members by intimidating them. The Kalahandi district administration is allegedly providing support to the finance company for recovery of the loan. According to the allegation, four members of a women self help group had availed loan of Rs 30,000 each from the finance company a few months ago. They had executed an agreement to pay back Rs 38,400 in twenty instalments. However, Bhawanipatna police arrested the four women on the basis of a summon from a West Bengal court on the charge that they have violated the conditions of the agreement. And the said company is forcibly recovering loan from others showing the video photographs about the arrest of the four women, it is alleged. Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik has expressed concern over the alleged coercion by the finance company. The district administration intervention for the review of the case has ben demanded. No clear Information is available at the government level as to how many finance companies had extended loan to the women self help groups.  Taking opportunity of the prevailing confusion, finance companies have allegedly extended loan at high interest rates. The state government has been urged to urgently probe into the alleged loan scam.