National

Finance Ministry Introduces New Credit Assessment Model for MSMEs

Published

11 months ago

March 6, 2025

On Thursday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, alongside Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, unveiled the New Credit Assessment Model for MSMEs. This initiative was part of the post-Budget discussions in Vishakhapatnam and focuses on evaluating MSMEs based on their digital footprints.

The new credit assessment model aims to utilize digitally sourced, verifiable data from the ecosystem to create automated processes for MSME loan evaluations. This will employ objective decision-making for all loan applications, facilitating model-based limit assessments for both Existing to Bank (ETB) and New to Bank (NTB) MSME borrowers, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance.

As outlined by the ministry, the model will consider various digital footprints, including name and PAN authentication through NSDL, mobile and email verification via OTP, GST data accessed through service providers, bank statement analysis via account aggregators, income tax return (ITR) uploads and verification, API-enabled commercial and consumer bureau data retrieval, due diligence through Credit Information Companies (CICs), and fraud checks utilizing APIs, among other factors.

Implementing this model offers numerous advantages for MSMEs, such as the ability to submit applications online from anywhere, minimized paperwork and branch visits, expedited in-principle sanctioning through digital platforms, streamlined processing of credit proposals, and a comprehensive end-to-end straight-through process (STP). It also promises a reduced turnaround time (TAT), credit decisions rooted in objective data and transactional behavior, and the absence of physical collateral requirements for loans covered under the CGTMSE scheme.

The introduction of this credit assessment model marks a notable advancement over traditional methods that primarily assess credit eligibility based on assets or turnover, as it will also cater to MSMEs lacking formal accounting systems. This initiative was outlined in the Union Budget 2024-25, which emphasized that Public Sector Banks (PSBs) will develop their own capabilities to assess MSMEs for credit, moving away from dependence on external evaluations.

National

Three Burned Alive as Car Falls from Bridge in Gujarat’s Rajkot

Published

2 weeks ago

January 31, 2026

Namma Kudla

Gujarat: A tragic accident claimed the lives of three people in Gujarat’s Rajkot district on Monday.A car fell from a bridge and caught fire, killing all occupants on the spot.

The incident occurred on the Gondal–Atkot highway.The car was travelling from Chhota Udepur towards Gondal.

According to reports, the vehicle hit the bridge’s safety barrier.After the collision, the car fell nearly eight feet into a small stream below the bridge.

Soon after the fall, the car caught fire.The occupants were trapped inside the vehicle and were unable to escape.All three were burned alive and died at the scene.

Police and fire personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information.The fire was later brought under control.The bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem examination.

The exact cause of the accident is under investigation. Further details are awaited.

National

Girl Records Reels Inside Jail, Video Sparks Debate

Published

2 weeks ago

January 30, 2026

Namma Kudla

Bhopal: A young woman has come under public attention after recording reels inside a jail while meeting her boyfriend.

The incident happened at Raipur Central Jail in Chhattisgarh, which is known for high security. Mobile phones are strictly not allowed inside the jail. Despite this rule, the woman carried her phone into the visitor room.

She recorded videos while talking to her boyfriend during the meeting. In the video, she speaks emotionally about visiting him on his birthday. She says she feels sad because she cannot stay with him on his special day.

After the meeting, she uploaded the video on her social media account. The video quickly went viral on different platforms. The inmate seen in the video is identified as Tarakeshwar.

He is currently lodged in Raipur Central Jail. He is an accused in a case under the NDPS Act. The incident has raised serious questions about jail security.

People on social media are criticising jail staff and officials. Many users are asking how a mobile phone was allowed inside the jail.

They are also questioning the checking process at the jail entrance. So far, jail authorities have not given any official reaction.

National

MBBS Student Alleges She Was Drugged, Raped by Friend in Delhi Hotel

Published

4 months ago

October 6, 2025

Namma Kudla

New Delhi: An 18-year-old MBBS student has accused a 20-year-old male friend of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a hotel in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area. The alleged incident took place on September 9, police officials said.

According to the complaint, the accused, who is also a medical student, invited the woman to “Hotel Apple” on the pretext of spending time together. Once there, he allegedly gave her a drink laced with drugs and then raped her.

The survivor told police that the accused recorded obscene videos and took pictures during the assault. He later threatened to make the content viral if she reported the incident.

The woman, a native of Jind in Haryana, is currently staying at the hostel of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College in Rohini, Delhi.

Based on her complaint, police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. A search is underway to locate and arrest the accused, officials added.

In a separate case earlier this month, a school manager in Uttar Pradesh was arrested for allegedly raping a Class 8 student. In February, a tuition teacher in Delhi’s CR Park area was accused of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old student over three years and threatening her with blackmail.