The Chhattisgarh government in an official announcement on Thursday offered interest-free loans to students from economically disadvantaged families. The loans will be for families in Naxal-affected districts who are eager to pursue higher education in technical and vocational courses.
According to an official from the public relations department, the facility will be provided under the ‘Chief Minister Higher Education Loan Interest Grant Scheme.’ The scheme will also be available to eligible students from similar families in districts not affected by the Naxal issue, but with a 1 percent interest rate, the official added.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has instructed officials to conduct a drive to ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach as many young people as possible, the official stated.
The Technical Education Department has been designated as the nodal agency responsible for implementing the scheme. The scheme includes loan facilities for 35 technical and vocational courses at diploma, graduate, and post-graduate levels. The maximum education loan amount that can be disbursed to an individual under the scheme is Rs 4 lakh, the official stated.
Students from Maoist-affected districts—including Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Jashpur, Kanker, Korea, Narayanpur, Rajnandgaon, Surguja, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Gariaband, Balod, Sukma, Kondagaon, and Balrampur—will be eligible for interest-free loans under the scheme.
To qualify for the scheme’s benefits, a student must be a native of Chhattisgarh with an annual family income not exceeding Rs 2 lakh. Additionally, the student must be enrolled in a course established in Chhattisgarh and recognised by a competent authority, such as AICTE or UGC, the official noted.
