Implementing Student Credit Card: CM expresses displeasure, asks concerned depts to be proactive

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her displeasure over the implementation of the Student Credit Card scheme at the administrative review meeting on Thursday.

She also asked concerned department officials to be more proactive in roping in the state co-operative banks so that the students can reap benefits of the scheme with the nationalised banks showing their reluctance in disbursal of loans.

"You should make it clear to the banks that they are not doing us any favour by providing loan under the scheme. This is a government scheme, and the government is the guarantor but still some banks are not cooperating. If required hold a state-level bankers committee meeting. We have to know whether there is any prohibition at the political level," she said and directed to resolve the issue within 15 days.

Till now, 1.14 lakh students have applied under the scheme out of which 14,000 applications have been approved and 25,000 have got provisional approval.

Banerjee also hinted at political connotation in the matter. "Is somebody stopping the banks for political reasons?" she questioned. Banerjee asked Additional Chief Secretary of Co Operation department M.V. Rao and Principal Secretary of Education department Manish Jain to ensure that the pending applications are disbursed at an earliest. She also directed minister Arup Roy to be more proactive in this issue.

The Student Credit Card scheme launched in July, 2021 offers a student of Class X or higher a soft loan to the tune of Rs 10 lakh for pursuing higher studies in schools, colleges, institutes in Bengal, other states or abroad.