1,045 entrepreneurs today received $1,000 worth of grants under the Micro and Small Business grant that completed its 36th round of disbursement today in Nausori.
Minister for Industry and Trade Faiyaz Koya highlighted that they had received approximately 8,407 applications from Nausori and surrounding areas and this shows the high level of interest in the Provinces of Tailevu, Naitasiri and Rewa.
He reiterated to the recipients that this is the first batch of disbursement to the successful applications and the next batch of disbursements for this region, will take place next month.
He says so for those applicants who have had validation visits but are not on the list today will be visited by their team soon.
Koya says the Ministry has continued to improve its assessment of applications received and each applicant goes through a rigorous assessment process, which include, both desktop and field assessments.
Koya says the number of applications received this year has reached another high, compared to the last financial year as they recorded a total number of 47,045 applications received from 14 centers, which includes Nausori.
He says this figure provides an indication to the Fijian Government, on the level of interest from Fijians to take up business, as a source of income and improvement of their livelihoods.
The Minister for Industry and Trade says the result of the implementation of this programme, speaks for itself with a record of 81 per cent successful rate.
To date, through the Micro and Small Business grant programme, 23,190 micro and small entrepreneurs have been assisted, impacting the lives of 115,950 Fijians, with government’s investment of $22.9 million.
