Kolkata: State Education minister Bratya Basu announced a toll-free helpline number and an e-mail id where students facing problems in getting a loan against Students' Credit Card can seek help.
"A section of nationalised banks are still reluctant to provide loans inspite of the state government being the guarantor of the loan against Students' Credit Card," Basu said.
"If a student faces any problem in getting loan, they can call up at the helpline number 18001028014 or can send an email at contactwbscc@gmail.com and our department will try to resolve the issue," Basu said during the question-answer session at the state Assembly.
He reiterated that the Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary and Education Secretary have been holding meetings every month with the bank authorities so that they sanction loans against Student Credit Card.
"The issue has been addressed to a large extent and now several nationalised banks have come forward and have sanctioned loans," Basu added.
The minister informed that there have been over 1.19 lakh applications for Students' Credit Card loan and the banks have sanctioned loans of nearly 20,000 applicants by disbursing Rs 521.29 crore.
Initially, only the cooperative banks were providing the loan but with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directing the state administration to take necessary measures to bring nationalised banks on board. there has been a good response.
This scheme is designed to support the students to pursue secondary, higher secondary, madrasah, undergraduate and post-graduate studies, including professional degree and other equivalent courses in any school, madrasah, college, university and other affiliated institutes within and outside India.
Students studying in various coaching institutions for appearing in different competitive examinations like Engineering, Medical, Law, IAS, IPS, WBCS etc, can also avail of the loan under this scheme.
A student from West Bengal can obtain a maximum loan of Rs 10 lakhs at 4 per cent per annum with simple interest.
The loan can also be used for purchasing laptops, books, tabs etc or for educational travel and research.