Lending a helping hand to small traders, shopkeepers and street vendors, Maharashtra Government has announced that District Central Cooperative Banks ' DCCBs in the flood affected six districts will disburse loans at subsidised rates of five to six per cent. The decision will benefit traders and small businessmen in Pune, Satara, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur and Raigad districts.<br />''<br />''The decision was taken during a virtual meeting chaired by state Finance Minister Ajit Pawar where principal secretary (finance) O P Gupta, revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat and representatives of the DCCBs were present.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #000000;">According to an official statement, these banks will disburse loans on a non-profit basis and all affected traders, whose panchnamas have been recorded will be eligible for such loans. It added that these loans coupled with the financial assistance of fifty thousand rupees will help these traders to start their business afresh. Devastating floods and landslides last month had claimed over 200 lives and caused losses worth hundreds of crores of rupees.</span><br />