Kolkata, Feb 11 (KNN) West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra has announced several new schemes for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) units unorganised workers, unemployed youths, senior citizens, backward sections.

Mitra on Monday tabled an Rs 2.56-lakh crore budget for 2020-21 in the state assembly. This is the last full budget before the crucial 2021 state assembly elections.

Under the scheme called ‘Banglashree’ MSME units, which started operations from April 1, 2019, and later will get incentives, while under ‘Chaa Sundari’ the state will provide funds for construction of homes to permanent tea garden workers in the 370 tea gardens, who don’t have homes.

Apart from these, under 'Karma Sathi' scheme, the state will assist one lakh unemployed youths with loans up to Rs 2 lakh for the next three years for taking up new income generating project.

The state finance minister also launched two schemes — ‘Bandhu’ and ‘Jai Johar’ for providing Rs 1,000 monthly pension for senior citizens under SC and ST categories, who are not covered by other pension schemes.

The minister also announced to set up 100 MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) parks in the next three years to generate jobs in the state. The government will allocate Rs 200 crore for setting up 100 MSME parks in the state.

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