Launch of students' credit card scheme announced
Kolkata: Fulfilling another of her 10 most important pre-poll promises, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced the launch of students' credit card scheme facilitating education loans up to Rs 10 lakh each for higher studies with the state government as its guarantor.
The scheme will be officially launched on June 30. Banerjee's announcement comes after the Cabinet gave its nod in this regard in a meeting on Thursday.
"Our government has always stood by the people of this state. The Bengal government will be the guarantor of the loans. People will no longer have to sell off their properties for their children's higher education. Parents no longer need to worry for the same," Banerjee said while addressing the media at Nabanna.
One can avail of the benefit of the scheme from Class X onwards up to the age of 40. He or she has to be a resident of Bengal for 10 years or above.
The loan can be taken to undertake studies at the Graduation, Post-Graduation and post-doctoral level. The facility will also be available for those who will pursue any diploma course and undertake research work in any part of the world.
Stating the process of getting and repaying the loan to be simple, Banerjee said: "One will get 15 years' time to repay the soft loan in instalments. One will get one year time to start repaying the loan after getting a job".
She further added that her government has already fulfilled a few of the given pre-poll promises, including the new Krishak Bandhu scheme, in which the annual financial assistance for farmers has been doubled to Rs 10,000 each. "We have already spent a few crores for the project and now we are going to fulfil another pre-poll assurance — the students' credit card. Usually, there are around 12 lakh and 9.5 lakh students in Class X and XII levels respectively. It will be immensely beneficial for the students' community who are our future. Our other schemes, including Kanyashree, Swami Vivekananda Merit cum Scholarship scheme, Aikyashree and Shikhashree are immensely benefitting the students of our state."
