– Mohammed Atherulla Shariff
Bengaluru, June 12: The Karnataka Minority Development Corporation has disbursed educational loans worth `72.78 crores to minority students pursuing professional courses like medicine, pharmacy and engineering during the current academic year.
This was disclosed by the Minister for Minority Welfare, Waqf and Housing, Zameer Ahmed Khan here after a meeting held on Wednesday. Up to five lakh rupees are given to each student and those intending for higher studies abroad are given `10 lakh as loan, he said. Around 88 students obtained such loans for studies abroad this year.
The Corporation has introduced a new scheme to extend financial help to petty businesswomen. Around 960 women have benefited from this scheme. Fifty percent of the loan amount is considered as subsidy and only fifty percent has to be returned. Loans worth `4.8 crores have been disbursed among these entrepreneurs, Zameer Ahmed explained.
Yet another scheme for skill development, the Corporation has provided aid worth around `10 crores to 973 people. Under Sharma Shakti Scheme, 1000 people were provided with financial aid worth five crores, he added.
The minister further explained that during the year 666 taxi cars and 500 three-wheeler auto rickshaws were also distributed to the deserving people for which the Minority Development Corporation has spent `23.75 crores.
About the loan recovery, Zameer Ahmed disclosed that `200.60 crores have been returned by the loanees.
