Mysuru: Widow of a Covid warrior has finally managed to get a loan for her project after staging a lone protest in front of a bank.
Manjula, a resident of Saraswatipura here lost her husband a few months back due to Covid. It is an inevitable circumstance for Manjula to run a family to take up an income-generating activity.
Manjula, also the founder of Neeli Kala Creations, mud jewellery making expert approached a nationalised bank to avail loan of Rs. 14.5 lakhs to set up a small-scale industry under Pradhana Mantri Employment Guarantee Programme (PMEGP) Yojana.
She applied for a loan in October 2021 from the nationalised bank and had visited it many times to get financial assistance but the bank rejected her application without any reason and promptly informed her over the phone. Enraged by the negligent move of the bank, Manjula staged a lone protest in front of the bank on January 17. Then the bank officials visited her and agreed to provide a loan.
Speaking to mediapersons she said that she was disappointed over the negligent attitude of the bank and decided to take up silent agitation as it is the only option to get justice. She said the bank desecrated her by rejecting the loan papers of a widow. She said she was making mud jewellery for a decade as a hobby. “After the demise of my spouse, I planned to take up it as full-time employment which has very good demand,” said Manjula.
She said she even approached the District lead bank followed by the instruction of Mysuru – Kodagu MP Pratap Simha. The lead bank promised to provide a loan under the MUDRA project but it did not provide a loan. She also said that she has been providing training for many girls about making mud jewellery.
Manjula said that she saw a Kannada movie ‘Act 1978’ with her husband, took inspiration and decided to stage a dharna. She said despite having eligibilities, the bank made her go pillar and post unnecessarily.