By Firstdespatch Desk Sep 18, 2026
Agartala, Sept. 18 (FD) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has praised Tripura Gramin Bank (TGB) for supporting grassroots entrepreneurship, highlighting the case of a single mother from South Tripura who expanded her construction-material business with financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana.
Sitharaman made the remarks during a national-level interaction with beneficiaries of the MUDRA scheme, where she interacted with Bulti Debnath Datta of Maheshpur in Belonia, South Tripura.
Bulti said she and her husband started their cement and rod-based manufacturing unit in 2017. She first obtained a ₹3 lakh loan from TGB in 2019 and, after repaying it, availed another ₹3 lakh loan in 2023. With the business expanding, she secured a ₹7 lakh MUDRA loan from the bank in 2024.
According to Bulti, the additional capital helped her increase production and provide regular employment to five workers. She also purchased a vehicle and now personally delivers products such as RCC pillars, filters and ventilators to projects across 10 to 12 panchayats under Rishyamukh block, including works linked to MGNREGA.
Bulti said she is currently running the business as a single mother while supporting her two daughters and in-laws. She expressed gratitude to TGB and the Government of India for supporting her entrepreneurial journey.
Referring to her experience, Sitharaman said MUDRA loans were not restricted to conventional businesses and appreciated TGB for enabling a woman entrepreneur to establish and expand a construction-material enterprise.
“Look at Tripura Gramin Bank,” Sitharaman said, noting that the bank was supporting people in “imaginative, innovative ways.” She highlighted Bulti’s progression from availing her initial loan to expanding production, purchasing a vehicle and personally delivering construction materials to customers.
The Finance Minister said that while banks often focus on meeting lending targets, regional rural banks such as TGB were demonstrating how institutional credit could support grassroots entrepreneurship and livelihood generation.
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Tripura Gramin Bank,” Sitharaman said while referring to Bulti’s success story.
Tripura Gramin Bank is a Regional Rural Bank operating in the state and is sponsored by Punjab National Bank. The MUDRA scheme provides collateral-free institutional credit to micro enterprises, with loans under the Tarun category ranging from above ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
The interaction highlighted the broader objective of the MUDRA scheme—to help small entrepreneurs access formal credit, expand their businesses and create employment opportunities. FD JK