New Delhi

As many as 1.39 lakh entrepreneurs were provided Rs 1,389.61 crore in loans through the PM-SURAJ portal in the 2024-25 fiscal against a target of extending benefits to one lakh entrepreneurs, Union Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The loans were provided by the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC), and National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) through the portal, according to the minister.

Kumar said the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan Evam Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan (PM-SURAJ) is a unified portal to consolidate the concessional credit support schemes being implemented by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Through this portal, NSFDC, NSKFDC, and NBCFDC have been integrated with state channelising agencies and partner banks. Its objective is to promote the economic empowerment of people from marginalised communities such as the Scheduled Castes, Safai Karamcharis, and Backwards Classes.

"During the financial year 2024-25, against the target of one lakh beneficiaries, a total of 1,39,467 beneficiary entrepreneurs were provided loans amounting to Rs 1,389.61 crore by the three corporations," Kumar said.

READ MORE: Why did popular vlogger Arbaaz Khan cry over Sanjay Patel's death?

The eligible applicants belonging to the De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Tribes (DNTs) also have access to the concessional credit support schemes of NSFDC, NSKFDC, and NBCFDC.

The average turnaround time, from the date of submission of the online application till the date of sanctioning of the loan, ranges from two to four weeks, the minister added.