Chhattisgarh Announces Interest-Free Loans for Students in LWE-Affected Areas
Raipur: Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday unveiled a scheme envisaging interest free loan for the students in Leftwing extremism (LWE)-affected districts in the state to pursue technical and professional courses.
The maximum loan amount to be given under the scheme has been fixed at Rs four lakh per student, deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh government Vijay Sharma said.
According to Mr Sharma, the state government has identified 35 technical and other professional courses for which the interest free education loan would be provided to the students.
Sixteen of 33 districts in Chhattisgarh have been declared LWE-hit districts.
They are Bastar, Bijapur, South Bastar Dantewada, Jashpur, North Bastar Kanker, Korea, Narayanpur, Rajnandgaon, Sarguja, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Goriaband, Balod, Sukma, Kondagaon and Balrampur.
Mr Sai also announced that loans at the rate of one percent interest would be provided to students hailing from economically weaker families in other districts to pursue technical and professional courses.
In another development, Mr Sai declared to give financial rewards ranging from Rs one crore to Rs three crore to the Olympians from Chhattisgarh.
The gold medal winner in the Olympics would be rewarded Rs three crore while the silver and bronze medallists would be rewarded Rs two crore and Rs one crore respectively.
