Tirupati: Brahmins Cooperative Credit Society proves a boon to poor Brahmins in pilgrim city

Tirupati : The AP Brahmins Cooperative Credit Society (AP BCCS) gave us a new lease of life by providing a loan to strengthen our eatery, which is the sole source to feed our family, said G Ramadevi.

Her husband G Gopal Rao availed Rs 1.25 lakh loan from the society to develop his small ‘bajji’ shop into an eatery, in order to help the family lead a comfortable life. Ramadevi, who is maintaining the shop after her husband passed away, said that in fact, we approached many banks for a loan but in vain and the AP BCCS came forward to our rescue.

Sivakumar, who was hitherto a joint partner of a provision store in Renigunta, said he was able to set up his own provisions store in the town thanks to the AP BCCS providing him Rs 2 lakh loan.

Unlike the other banks, the process of sanctioning of loan is simple and fast in BCCS, he said adding that he got the loan in a week from the society.

There are about 950 such people belonging to the economically poor Brahmin community in the city and also surrounding towns including Renigunta, Tiruchanur and Tirumala, who availed loan from 2018 to this year June from Tirupati branch of AP Brahmins Cooperative Credit Society (AP BCCS).

The Society proved a boon to the members of Brahmin community, who desires to set up ventures for self-employment. For one reason or other, finding a government job became very difficult for us while in private also the jobs provide less income but more work, which is driving more from the community taking up self-employment, said Vedam Hari Prasad, governing council member of the composite Chittoor district AP BCCS (including Tirupati area) body.

Talking to The Hans India, Hari Prasad said over 14 loans were introduced by the AP BCCS to cover various occupations and the financial needs of members of community and added that financial support is being provided under various schemes.

The schemes include Arundathi, a self-help group loan facility, Archaka Mitra for those working in temples as priests, Srivari seva mitra, for the employees working in TTD temples including in Potu temple kitchens and also in other services in temples, Purohita mitra for priests engaged in conducting rituals for people and business loan, employees personal loan and education loan etc.

In all, he said Rs 20.67 crore had been disbursed in five years under various loans benefitting about 2,000 members of Brahmins community.

With the support, prominent Brahmins in the city and associations like Tirupati Brahmana Samajam, a membership drive is aggressively going on in the city to increase the membership by paying Rs 500 each to become A class member of the society (shareholder) which entitles him avail the loan for any purposes and other benefits from the society, he said adding that “Our aim is to reach out every needy member of the community to avail any of the loans to come out of poverty,” he said.