For inclusive growth we must take care of whole society: Chairman

Creating entrepreneurs through training, handholding and credit linkage is beneficial more for us as bankers because it is banks that chase them for business once they set up their units successfully. This way we build our balance sheet which is better than merely increasing the business.

This was stated by Mushtaq Ahmad, Chairman and CEO, J&K Bank today at the inaugural function of “Two-day RSETI Directors’ Conclave” held here at the Bank's Corporate Headquarters. An in-house corporate film on the functioning of JKB RSETIs was screened on the occasion.

Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, Commissioner Secretary J&K Rural Development Department was the Chief Guest at the conclave attended by K N Janardhana Chief Project Coordinator (Monitoring Cell) RSETIs, Yogita Rana State Representative NRLM, Bank Presidents Mohammad Amin Mir, S K Bhat and P K Tickoo, Vice President A K Pandita, LDMs, Directors RSETIs, Faculty RSETIs, and few successful entrepreneurs.
Speaking about the significance of RSETIs in the development of the societies, Mushtaq Ahmad said, "For inclusive growth we must take care of whole society and RSETI movement can prove to be a driving force in progression towards comprehensive socio-economic development", he said.

Taking strong note of performance of RSETIs, he said, “Compared to the last year, the achievement in 2013-14 is not good. Awareness camps must motivate people to undertake gainful activities and a proper procedure has to be in place to monitor whether economic transformation of individuals is actually happening on ground. Besides, there has to be accountability at all the levels from RSETIs to Corporate Office.”

We must undertake this RSETI mission of self-employing youth with all seriousness, for its benefits will be reaped by our society and the bank for long time to come, he added.

Seconding the views of Chairman J&K Bank that single failure in setting up of business has the potential to de-motivate tens of struggling youth, Commissioner Secretary Sheikh Mushtaq said that the institutes need to sharpen their focus on the cases of failing entrepreneurs to ascertain the reasons so as to come up with remedies simultaneously.

Earlier, K Janardhana expressed happiness over the conduct of conclave by the Bank. He gave a brief overview of the RSETI movement and identified certain gaps in functioning of RSETIs and discussed various important issues on the occasion.

Renuka Kumar, Director Ministry of Rural Development, GoI could join the conclave only later in the day. She chaired the post-lunch session at the conclave.

Few of the entrepreneurs spoke on the occasion. They recounted their journey from awareness camps to the successfully establishing their profitable units.

“Today I feel confident enough to talk before all of you because I have come a long way from the time I could not meet my family requirements through earnings from a job at a petrol pump. From getting a salary of Rs 6000 at the pump, I have become owner of two mobile repairing shops in Sopore and provide Rs 18000 as salaries to some few people employed there”, said Zaffar Ali from Sopore.

It is  the training at the RSETI Sopore that helped me overcome my fears and find many of my own strengths. I am thankful to the bank for its immense support in times of need, hand-holding, training and finances, he added.

Renuka Kumar congratulated J&K Bank for appointing ‘very young and dynamic faculty mostly women’. She was moved by the personal accounts of struggle and success recalled by the entrepreneurs at the conclave.

She said, "It is this human spirit that drives such initiatives like RSETI movement.”

These conclaves are organised only to provide a platform where upon we can learn from each others’ mistakes and achievements and leave enriched, she added.

On this occasion Yogita Rana State Representative NRLM gave a power-point presentation on NRLM Project, UMEED. She gave a detailed overview of UMEED, its structure, functioning and performance so far.

Vice President A K Pandita moderated the event and presented the vote of thanks. The conclave shall further deliberate upon various technical and practical issues related to the functioning of RSETIs tomorrow.

Notably, 9269 candidates have received the training at the bank's RSETIs so far,  out of which 2233 have established their own micro-enterprises and 2213 have been covered under credit linkage.