Due to high non-performing loans in seven districts, the Bhutan Development Bank Limited (BDBL) continues its suspension of the Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) loan scheme in these districts. BDBL had suspended the MSE loan for all in 2016 but then lifted the suspension in 2017.
A loan is classified as non-performing when the borrower fails to pay back the interest or principal amount of a loan.
BDBL will not be providing any MSE loan in Bumthang, Punakha, Thimphu, Paro and Trongsa districts as well as in Gelegphu and Monggar towns. The reason is because of the high number of defaulters.
Till now BDBL dispersed almost Nu 170 M to over 700 borrowers. Out of this, 185 clients failed to pay back their loans. The issue was highlighted at BCCI’s 32nd Annual General Meeting in Thimphu.
It was also shared that among the 20 dzongkhags, seven districts still had not repaid their loan overdue.
“Till now we have not received any loan for almost 3 years now. Earlier, the wives of civil servants obtained a licence from the trade office. After obtaining their small and medium enterprise licence they started businesses. When their husband got transferred to other regions, the wife tagged along with them without informing the bank. Clients didn’t make their repayments and the number of defaulters increased over time in Monggar town. Many did not bother to pay back and many of the clients were not traceable. This is the main reason why the loans are not available there now,” Tauchung, the Business Representative of Monggar, said.
BCCI in collaboration with BDBL initiated the MSE loan scheme in 2009 to promote micro-entrepreneurs particularly those in the trading business.
“Since 2010 the loan has been dispersed. It’s a zero collateral scheme, it’s a group scheme with about 4 to 5 licence holders and you get the loan,” Tandin Wangchuk, the Vice President of BCCI, said.
He added the suspension will be lifted in the seven districts if the number of non-performing loans is brought down.
“In 2016, the BDBL has increased the loan ceiling to Nu 300,000 from Nu150,00. Since then the officials from the dzongkhags, our representatives and BDBL officials recovered 60 % of loans from the clients.”
At the meeting, Business Representatives from all 20 dzongkhags also shared that the scheme had benefitted the people.
Choni Dema
