The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun
Jaitley asks the people to increase their domestic savings and invest the same
in small savings schemes like Kisan Vikas Patras (KVPs). He said that money
invested therein is being used for undertaking various development activities
in the country for the benefit of the people at large. The Finance Minister
said that in last few years due to slower rate of economic growth, the rate of
domestic savings had come below 30 % while it had once touched the peak of
36.8%. He stressed the urgent need for raising the domestic rate of savings.
The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley said that the people need to be
careful from privately run ponzi schemes which are both unsafe and risky even
though offering little higher rate of interest. He said that this many times
also results in loss of their hard earned income. He said that they may rather
go for the Government run small savings schemes which are safe, simple and easy
to access.. The Finance Minister said that on the other hand, in order to
attract the small savings of the people, the Government should bring-out from
time to time attractive small savings schemes befitting the needs of different
sections of society especially the poor people. He said that these schemes
should not only be simple and safe but also give best possible returns to the
people on their investment. He said this is one of the reasons that’s why we
have re-launched the Kisan Vikas Patras (KVPs) today. He said that this would
also give a direction to bank and unbank savings of the people This scheme is
open to everyone including the farmers. The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley
was speaking after re-launching the Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) scheme at a
function here today. He said that investment in KVP would become double in 100
months. He hoped that those who want to increase their savings and get good
returns on the same, would make best use of the KVP. He said that this will not
only help the investors but also the society at large He said that initially
this scheme would be operated through post offices but later would be operated
through banks as well. He distributed the Certificates to various persons
including Ms Santosh who was the First woman to buy KVP and Shri Har Prakash,
the first man to buy KVP among others on this occasion.
Earlier speaking on the occasion Shri
Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Communication and IT said that saving
money is part of our habit and culture. He said that we need a financial
instrument which is safe to attract the savings of the people. He said that
there is a special attachment to KVPs especially of the poor people and
farmers. He said that it is not only an instrument of savings but the farmers
have also an emotional attachment with it. He said that he doesn’t understand
why this scheme was discontinued .He said that he is happy that Postal
Department and small savings are linked together for years. He said that there
are more than 30 crore 8 lakh postal account holders in the country and more
than 60 small saving schemes are being operated through the Postal Department.
He said that there are more than 1.54 thousand postal centres in the country
which can be best suited for implementing the programmes relating to financial
inclusion especially in rural areas. He further added that there is a need for
Postal Department to reincarnate itself in a new format to meet the changing
needs of the people at large.
Shri Rajiv Mehrishi, Finance
Secretary, Ms. Kavita, Secretary, Department of Posts, Shri Rajat Bhargava,
Joint Secretary (Budget), Department of Economic Affairs (DEA),Ministry of
Finance and other senior officers of the Ministry of Finance and Department of
Posts and National Small Savings Organizations were also present among others
on this occasion.
Source : PIB
No comments:
Post a Comment