Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched the SC/ST hub in Ludhiana to provide support to entrepreneurs from the community.

“My Dalit brothers and sisters should not stand in queue to seek jobs, instead they should give jobs to others,” said the PM as he launched the hub at the national MSME award distribution function at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana.

Around 227 industrialists were given the national MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) awards in different categories. Some 500 charkhas were also distributed to women spinners in Ludhiana.

He said his ‘head hangs in shame” over incidents of atrocities on dalits that take place even after 70 years of Independence and called for more focused efforts to correct social anomalies.

"The SC/ST hub aims to facilitate technology knowhow to reserved categories and increasing procurement by public and government units from SC/ST industrial units from existing 0.4 per cent to 4 per cent," said Modi.

Modi informed "A database of Dalit industrialists is also being made, while heaping praise at president, Dalit Chamber of Industrial Association, Milind Kanwale."

“I attended the function of Dalit chamber and met over 1000 Dalit industrialists. A number of them had a turnover of more than Rs 500 crore while 300 Dalit women were doing business of more than 100 crore. Our hub aims at making more entrepreneurs from Dalits and tribals so that they become job-givers rather than job-seekers,” said the PM.

The PM asked "1.25 lakh nationalised bank branches to give loans to SC/ST men and women entrepreneurs and said if two loans each, one each men and women category, upto 1 crores are given, banks can give up to 3.75 lakh such loans and hence can help the Dalits and tribals in making them self-dependent."

He stated that "India can play a major role in providing strength to global economy that is facing slowdown." Modi also launched the Zero Effect Zero Defect (ZED) certification scheme.

“Your product should have zero defect and zero effect on environment because in another decade environment will also become an issue while importing and exporting products. So be prepared now,” he said.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra, Minister of State Giriraj, Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and Punjab BJP president Vijay Sampla were among those present.

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BY M. DIVYA SRI