A Regional Review Meeting of the State Channelising Agencies (SCAs) of National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFCs) Southern Region was held in Kochi, Kerala on 26th August, 2025. The meeting was presided over by Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri George Kurian.
The National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) implements various schemes to empower beneficiaries from minority communities by providing concessional loans for self-employment and income-generation ventures, with a particular preference given to women and occupational groups.
The implementation of these schemes is carried out through SCAs nominated by the respective State Governments/UT Administrations, as well as through Punjab Gramin Bank and Canara Bank.
The participants from the SCAs of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and other participating financial institutions attended the meeting. Addressing them, the Minister highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism, stating that the States implement 95 percent of Government schemes.
The Minister highlighted that the Right to Participation and Right to Information are the important tenants of democracy, adding that every citizen, including those from economically weaker sections, has the right to be informed about Government schemes that are designed for their welfare.
Highlighting the importance of technology, the Minister pointed out that social media has become a more powerful tool as information can be assessed with just one click. He stated, "Earlier, we were talking only about job seekers, but now we are giving equal importance to job givers “.
The Minister then urged all agencies to work diligently towards the effective implementation of central schemes for the holistic development of Minority Communities. He reaffirmed that these efforts are aligned with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to build a Viksit Bharat by 2047.