PKSF to provide Tk7,245cr for microenterprises, solar power

The Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) has taken an initiative to provide Tk7,245 crore in financing to to promote entrepreneurship in the cottage and microenterprise sectors and expand renewable energy use, including Tk500 crore for rooftop solar power.
The decisions to implement the financing programmes were taken at a meeting of the PKSF Board of Directors held on Sunday at PKSF Bhaban-1. PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan chaired the meeting, which was attended by Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader and other members of the Board, said a press release.
At the meeting, the Board approved Tk5,000 crore in Bangladesh Bank-financed loans to support the creation of new entrepreneurs in the cottage and microenterprise sectors. 

The financing will support technology-driven agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, services and various value-chain-based activities at the grassroots level. The initiative aims to harness the skills and productive capacity of low-income communities to create new entrepreneurs and expand employment opportunities.
In addition, PKSF has launched a specialised financing programme, backed by a Tk500 crore government allocation, to expand rooftop solar power generation. Under the programme, the Board approved a specialised lending policy titled “Shouro Shokti” to provide loans to customers through partner organisations at an interest rate of 6%.
The Board also approved nearly Tk2,000 crore in loans for PKSF’s partner organisations to support cluster-based microenterprises, general services, the ultra-poor, agriculture and other sectors.