Agartala, 18th September 2026 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has publicly appreciated the role of Tripura Gramin Bank (TGB) in helping a woman entrepreneur from South Tripura expand her cement and construction-material business under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana.
During an interaction with MUDRA beneficiaries at the national level, Sitharaman highlighted the example of Bulti Debnath Datta of Maheshpur in Belonia, describing her entrepreneurial journey as an example of how rural banking can support unconventional businesses.
Bulti told the Finance Minister that she and her husband had started a factory manufacturing cement- and rod-based products in 2017. She obtained her first ₹3 lakh loan from TGB in 2019. After repaying the loan, she availed another ₹3 lakh in 2023 as the business gradually expanded.
With increasing demand and the need for additional working capital, she approached TGB again and obtained a ₹7 lakh MUDRA loan in 2024. The financial assistance enabled her to increase the range of products manufactured at the factory and provide regular employment to five workers.
Bulti said she subsequently purchased a vehicle to transport the products herself. Her factory supplies construction materials, including RCC pillars, filters and ventilators, to projects covering around 10 to 12 panchayats under Rishyamukh block, including works associated with MGNREGA.
She also explained that following the death of her husband, she has been shouldering the responsibility of her family, including her two daughters and in-laws, while continuing to run the enterprise.
Responding to her account, Sitharaman drew attention to the nature of the business and the circumstances in which Bulti was running it. She said MUDRA loans were not meant only for conventional businesses and cited TGB as an example of a rural bank helping people pursue innovative and locally relevant enterprises.
The Union Finance Minister specifically appreciated TGB for supporting Bulti from her initial borrowing to the expansion of her business and purchase of a vehicle for deliveries.
