The finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a ₹ 1.1 lakh crore loan guarantee scheme for the covid-affected sectors to boost growth at a time when the economy has been ravaged by the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Nirmala Sitharaman has announced ₹ 100 crore loan to the health sector at the rate of 7.95 per cent as India braces for a possible third wave of the rampaging virus.
Among other measures, Ms Sitharaman announced widening of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, under which collateral-free loan given to MSMEs. Ms Sitharaman also announced a new scheme to give up to ₹ 1.25 lakh loan to 25 lakh small borrowers at lower interest rates and promised support to the tourism sector in the form of a ₹ 10 lakh loan to travel agencies and ₹ 1 lakh loan to tourist guides.
