T’puram: A bankers’ meet and loan mela organised under the leadership of Neyyattinkara taluk industries office resulted in the sanctioning of loans worth Rs 4.16 crore to entrepreneurs in the taluk. The event, held at PWD Rest House, saw the participation of leading banks operating within the taluk limits on Saturday.In addition to loan disbursements, new projects worth Rs 11.36 crore were presented before banks during the meet, highlighting the growing interest in entrepreneurship and industrial development in the region. Officials said the initiative aimed to strengthen the MSME sector by facilitating easier access to institutional finance. Neyyattinkara municipal chairperson W R Heeba inaugurated the programme, while municipal vice-chairperson K K Shibu presided over the function. During the event, Canara Bank and State Bank of India were honoured with awards for extending the highest number of loans to the MSME sector in Neyyattinkara taluk. Around 100 entrepreneurs participated in the meet, presenting their business ideas directly before bank officials and initiating preliminary procedures to avail loans. The interactive platform enabled entrepreneurs to clarify queries related to credit eligibility, documentation and repayment mechanisms. Several officials and public representatives attended the programme, including councillor Supriya Mahesh, Thiruvananthapuram lead district manager Jayamohan S, assistant district industries officer Shefin M B and industries development officers Shibu K S, Asha V V, Anish Kumar P and Ashwin Ravi. Officials said the positive response from banks and entrepreneurs reflected increasing confidence in local enterprises. The taluk industries office noted that such meets play a key role in bridging the gap between financial institutions and small-scale entrepreneurs, thereby accelerating industrial growth and employment generation in the region.
