The OBC Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OFICCI) submitted a representation to the OBC Parliamentary Committee appealing for support and preferential treatment for OBC entrepreneurs in public procurement, financial access and industrial allotment.
Founder and chairman Rama Moan Manamasa, through the representation submitted to the Committee chairman Ganesh Singh, urged the Committee to recommend measures for preferential treatment or quotas for OBC-owned MSMEs on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) similar to the provisions for SC/ST entrepreneurs to ensure fair competition and equitable access to government contracts.
Others suggestions made by OFICCI to the Committee include directions to banks for prioritising OBC entrepreneurs in sanctioning CGTMSE loans, providing them collateral free credit as well as recommending guidelines to banks for prioritising lending to OBC-owned MSMEs along with lower interest rates to facilitate their growth and reduce financial stress and a reservation of at least 15% of industrial plots in all central and state industrial parks for OBC entrepreneurs.
The Federation also wanted a white paper on OBC entrepreneur’s current share in public procurement, bank lending and MSME schemes, OFICCI said in a release.
Published - October 25, 2024 01:45 pm IST
