Dehradun, July 10 (KNN) The Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has asserted that the condition of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has improved which will provide a chance to these enterprises to expand and generate more employment opportunities.

While addressing media persons, on Thursday, Rawat said, ''A provision of Rs 3 lakh crore collateral free loan has been made for the MSME sector. A Rs 50,000 crore fund of funds has also been made for MSMEs. The standards for this sector have also been improved which will provide such enterprises the chance to expand and generate more employment opportunities.''

Rawat further said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign is helping tackle the situation caused by Covid-19 and becoming a symbol of a new India.

''Various relaxations have been provided under this campaign to MSMEs to strengthen the sector. At the same time, various steps have been taken for the welfare of the poor, farmers and labourers,'' he added.

Lauding the Rs 20 lakh crore package by the PM, Rawat said that the positive results of this initiative are becoming visible while the PM’s call for ‘vocal for local and make it global’ is eliciting the support of all the citizens.

Speaking on the health sector, the CM said that during the pandemic, the maximum improvement has been achieved in this sector the country is producing more PPE kits than required. 

''Once, PPE kits were not manufactured in the country when the pandemic began, now the number of kits being manufactured is so much that the nation is also exporting these,'' he added.

Similarly, while the nation had a limited number of ventilators in the past, now following innovations and start-ups, the number of ventilators has increased considerably and many are much more affordable too, he said.

Rawat said that to assist the poor, farmers and labourers during the Covid-19 pandemic, the PM announced Rs 1.70 lakh crore. With this, three-month advance instalments under the Kisan Samman Nidhi were deposited in the accounts of farmers. Women Jan Dhan account holders received three instalments of Rs 500 each while three gas cylinders were provided free under Ujjwala scheme to more than eight crore women.

''Similarly, Rs 1,000 financial assistance was also provided for the differently abled, widows and senior citizens,” he said.