KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) has criticised the BJP-led Central government after it came to light that the Centre has decided to discontinue the education loan subsidy for minority students to study abroad.
The party had also alleged that BJP was resorting to all means to destabilise the state government.
TMC MP Mala Roy raised a question in Parliament this month, asking whether the government proposes to withdraw the education loan subsidy for minority students to study abroad.
Minister of minority affairs, Smriti Irani replied that benefits of interest subsidy that accrued to the beneficiaries under the ‘Padho Pardesh’ scheme were limited and also that there is an apparent overlap with other similar schemes being implemented by other ministries which are applicable to eligible minority community students as well.
“In view of the aforesaid overlap, limited benefits and ease of availing education loans on low rate of interest, it has been decided to discontinue Padho Pardesh Scheme from 2022-23 onward,” Irani said.
TMC senior leader Firhad Hakim recently said that the Centre does not care about the minority community and hence does nothing concerning the community’s development.
“The Centre has not released more than Rs one lakh crore, due to which the state is facing difficulty. They are trying everything to remove Mamata Banerjee from power by depriving Bengal of its dues but she has the blessings of 10 crore people,” he said.
Hakim asserted that the country needs unity between minority and majority. He warned not to let the BJP government create divisions so they can divide and rule.
Irani has highlighted that National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC), a PSU under Ministry of Minority Affairs, also provides educational loans for education abroad, at a low rate of interest, exclusively to students belonging to minority communities.