Government has said that loans worth over 12 lakh 30 thousand crore rupees have been disbursed by the banks to Self-Help Groups so far under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission. Minister of State for Rural Development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said this in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today. He said the government has introduced an Interest Subvention Scheme to make credit affordable for women’s Self Help Groups. The Minister said that under this scheme, banks provide credit to women at a concessional rate of interest. Mr Pemmasani said, for loans up to three lakh rupees, the banks extend credit at a concessional interest rate of seven per cent per annum. For loans above three lakh and up to five lakh rupees, the banks extend credit at an interest rate of ten per cent per annum.