Assam Budget 2023: State govt proposes scheme promote micro-entrepreneurs; key highlights

State government proposes to implement a scheme to promote micro-entrepreneurs for creating self-employment opportunities among the unemployed youths belonging to BPL families and low-income households.

Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog on Thursday (March 16) presented the Budget 2023-24 at the Assembly. It may be mentioned that this would be the second state budget presented by Neog.

Speaking on the previous year's budget, she said, "Last year's attempts were to fulfill the promises made in the nine-month budget. We have been quite successful in this regard." Earlier, Ajanta Neog announced that the government will make 40,000 new appointments between May 10 and May 20.

Here are key highlights of the Assam Budget 2023:

Assam will emerge as the hub of healthcare in Northeast India by 2026, and infrastructure will be set up accordingly.

State government proposes to implement a scheme to promote micro-entrepreneurs for creating self-employment opportunities among the unemployed youths belonging to BPL families and low-income households.

Income-generating activities such as Trading, Manufacturing, Service, Food Processing, Handloom, Handicraft, Agriculture and allied- Animal Husbandry, Fishery and Dairy will be supported under this scheme.

Assam government proposes to cover one lakh eligible beneficiaries, who will be provided with a one-time Seed Capital of Rs 2 lakh in tranches for starting micro-enterprise units in the next three years.

The entrepreneurs who have already availed credit linkage under SVAYEM and are continuing their activities successfully will be given preference in this scheme.

Recruitment of another 40,000 candidates will be completed by May 10, 2023. Remaining, about 18,000 are at various stages of recruitment and this will also be completed very soon.

Under Categories I and II of the Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AFMIRS), 2021, around 10 lakh borrowers have been provided assistance worth Rs 1,789 crore. This has also helped them in improving their creditworthiness.