Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme 2026 - AMFIRS 3rd Phase Microfinance Loan Waiver for Women

Assam government Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) is helping debt ridden women borrowers clear their microfinance loans. Under the third phase of this scheme, women whose bank accounts have turned into non-performing assets (NPA) are getting their loans waived so they can access credit again from formal sources. This article explains the complete details of the AMFIRS scheme, including the benefits, eligibility and the latest updates.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the third phase of the Assam Microfinance Loan Maaf Yojana on 23 September 2023. In the first phase, benefit went to those borrowers who were repaying their debt regularly. In the second phase, benefit went to borrowers whose payments were overdue by less than 90 days and whose loan accounts were not classified as NPA. In the third phase, benefit is going to debt ridden women borrowers whose bank accounts have become NPA.

About Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) 3rd Phase

Finance Minister announced the third phase of the Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) while presenting the Assam Budget 2023-24 on 16 March 2023. In the budget speech, the FM said the government wants to support the stressed and destitute women borrowers whose accounts had become NPA as on 31 March 2021. The government decided to first prioritize those who had borrowed up to Rs 25,000, and earmarked Rs 500 crore for this.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the third phase on 23 September 2023. Under this phase, borrowers whose loan accounts turned into NPA are offered an outstanding principal balance of up to Rs 25,000. With a total relief cost of Rs 291 crore, around 2,22,949 borrowers benefit from this phase. The lending institutions waive the accrued interest and penalties for these women and give them 'no due' certificates.

In the next stage, the government is evaluating the cases of women who took loans up to Rs 50,000. The Assam cabinet approved Rs 223.26 crore for this part of the third phase, which is about to benefit 78,046 people whose outstanding principal amount is between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000.

Short Brief on AMFIRS Scheme

Name of Scheme	Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme
Date of Launch of AMFIRS 3rd Phase	23 September 2023
State Name	Assam
Beneficiaries	Debt ridden women borrowers whose bank accounts have become NPA
Objective	To help women borrowers get credit again from formal sources
Who Announced AMFIRS 3rd Phase	Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

Benefits of AMFIRS 3rd Phase

Under the third phase, women borrowers whose accounts have become NPA get their outstanding principal of up to Rs 25,000 cleared. The lending institutions also waive the accrued interest and penalties, and give 'no due' certificates right away. This helps these women get fresh loans from formal sources again.

During the '12 Days of Development' drive in December 2024, the state government distributed No Due Certificates to women borrowers under the third phase of AMFIRS. In Golaghat, 5,119 women got their microfinance loans cleared. In Jorhat, over 12,000 women received No Due Certificates, and in Barpeta, 2,048 certificates were distributed. Since 2021, the scheme has benefited over 12 lakh people across Assam, mainly rural women.

Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) 2nd Phase

Chief Minister started the second phase of the Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) on 2 January 2022. He handed over cheques to 5,024 beneficiaries in Gohpur, Behali, Sootea and Biswanath at a programme held in Biswanath Chariali. The Chief Minister said the state government will continue to march forward with the same zeal in the future as well.

Assam Microfinance Loan Maaf Phase 2 Benefits

The Assam Microfinance Loan Maaf Scheme benefited 24 lakh women in the state. All the beneficiaries of the AMFIRS Microfinance Loan Waiver Scheme received a one-time incentive ranging from Rs 16,000 to Rs 25,000 each. Under Phase II of the Assam Micro Finance Institutions Relief Scheme, a total of 12,590 beneficiaries received their cheques in Biswanath district.

AMFIRS Microfinance Loan Waiver Scheme Phase 1 Launch

The Chief Minister inaugurated the first phase of the AMFIRS Microfinance Loan Waiver Scheme for those borrowers who had been repaying their debt regularly. They were provided a one-time incentive up to Rs 25,000 or the outstanding balance, whichever is less. Altogether, 11 lakh women benefited in this phase of the programme.

On 29 and 30 November 2021, beneficiaries of eight districts - Sonitpur, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Majuli, Golaghat, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao - were provided their due incentives through account payee cheques. The Assam Cabinet had on 30 September 2021 approved Rs 1,800 crore to waive microfinance loans availed by poor women in the first phase.

Assam Microfinance Loan Maaf Scheme Stage 2

In the second stage, benefits of the Assam Microfinance Loan Maaf Scheme were extended to borrowers whose payments were overdue by less than 90 days and whose loan accounts were not classified as NPA. The state government paid the overdue amounts to borrowers in these cases. Borrowers whose accounts have become NPA are covered in the third phase of the scheme.

Pre Election Promise for Assam Microfinance Loan Waiver Scheme

During the assembly election campaign in March-April 2021, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had said all the microfinance loans of women would be waived if the BJP-led coalition returned to power. After assuming the office, he said it was a "political statement, but not a government promise". The opposition parties attacked the government for its "U-turn" in waiving the loans as promised by the BJP.

The state government had on 24 August signed an agreement with 38 microfinance institutions and banks for a Rs 12,000-crore AMFIRS. While presenting the state budget for 2021-22, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog had said almost 26 lakh borrowers took loans worth Rs 12,500 crore from various MFIs, and the bulk of this portfolio is in rural areas.

Source / Reference Link: Assam Budget 2026-27