The Hindu Business Line : SIDBI aims at creation of manpower

Creation of a pool of manpower to handle the micro finance sector and expansion of micro finance activities to northern and north-eastern parts of the country seem to be on the agenda of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), if the initiatives taken by it are any indication.

In this regard, SIDBI and the Dakshina Kannada-based Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) opened a micro finance training institute in Mangalore on Saturday.

In an informal chat with presspersons here on the sidelines of the inauguration of `SKDRDP SIDBI School for Micro Finance Training' (SSSMFT), Mr N. Balasubramanian, Chairman and Managing Director, SIDBI, said that the growth in the micro finance sector in the country has created the demand for trained manpower to handle the sector. There was a demand for credit, between Rs 70,000 crore and Rs 80,000 crore per annum, in this sector.

Stating that southern States are leading in micro finance activities in the country, he said SIDBI wants to encourage micro finance activities in States such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, and more particularly in north-eastern States.

SIDBI wants to increase its coverage in these States and support the poor across the country.

He termed lack of qualified manpower to handle micro finance sector as one of the challenges for its expansion in the country.

"For the time being we want to work with SKDRDP. Once this model is successful, we want to take this model to other parts of the country also," he said.

Earlier inaugurating SSSMFT, Mr Balasubramanian said that SIDBI and SKDRDP started the institute to train rural youth. This will create an opportunity for them and help increase economic activities in rural areas.

He stressed the need for making SSSMFT into an institute of national repute. All the micro finance institutions financed by SIDBI will be co-ordinated to take advantage of SSSMFT, he added. Dr D. Veerendra Heggade, Chairman, SKDRDP, presided over the function.

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