Lok Sabha Question No. 2097 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Rashtriya Mahila Kosh
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Kuldeep Rai Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2097

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2022

## RASHTRIYA MAHILA KOSH

## 2097.  SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE :

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE :

DR.AMOL  RAMSING KOLHE:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S. :

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA :

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the objectives for which Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) was established have been achieved, if so, details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor and the corrective steps taken in this regard;
- (b) the challenges faced by the Government while implementing RMK;
- (c) whether the Government has created awareness among women regarding RMK, if so, the details and outcome thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has reviewed the functioning of RMK and if so, details thereof indicating deficiencies noticed therein:
- (e) whether steps have been taken for strengthening and restructuring RMK, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether  a  number  of  persons   have  not  repaid  the  loan  amount  taken  under different  loan  schemes  of  RMK,  if  so,  the  details   thereof  indicating  number  of loan  defaulters  during  last  three  years  and  the  efforts  made  or  mechanism available with the Government to recover these loans?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (f) Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) was set up by the Government of India in 1993 for  extending  concessional  micro-finance  loans  to  poor  women  through  Intermediary Micro-Finance Organizations (IMOs) for livelihood activities, housing, micro-enterprises and family needs to bring about socio-economic upliftment of women. RMK extended collateral free concessional micro-finance loans to poor women through IMOs. Since its inception,  RMK  has  sanctioned  loans  amounting  to  Rs.373.12  crore  and  disbursed Rs.315.13 crore covering 7,41,163 beneficiaries.

At the time RMK was setup, it was a prominent Government body working in the area of extending concessional micro-finance loans to poor women through IMOs. Over the  period  of  time,  substantial  alternative  credit  facility  mechanisms  have  become available to women entrepreneurs through various Government initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna and Stand Up India. In line with the recommendations of the Expert Management  Commission  set  up  by  the  Ministry  of  Finance  and  the  report  on Rationalisation  of  Government  Bodies  authored  by  the  Principal  Economic  Adviser, Department  of  Economic  Affairs,  Government  has  decided  to  close  down  RMK  to improve efficiency and utilize available resources optimally.

As per available records, 20 Intermediary Organizations (IMOs)/ NonGovernment  Organizations  (NGOs)  have  defaulted  in  repayment  of  loan  in  the  last three years.

Rashtriya  Mahila  Kosh  (RMK)  has  been  taking  various  steps  for  recovery  of default loan amount which include issuance of show-cause notice, blacklisting, filing of civil suit cases, filing cases under Section 138 of N I Act, 1881, etc.

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