Lok Sabha Question No. 2433 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-30
Subject: Scholarship to Study Abroad to Minority Community
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: UDAY PRATAP SINGH, CHINTAMANI MALVIYA, ANTO  ANTONY, SHER SINGH GHUBAYA, MAULANA BADRUDDIN AJMAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2433 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.11.2016

## SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY ABROAD TO MINORITY COMMUNITY

## 2433 : SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH: PROF. CHINTAMANI MALVIYA: SHRI ANTO ANTONY: SHRI SHER SINGH GHUBAYA: SHRI BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  provided  scholarship  for  studying  abroad  to  the  students belonging to minority community during the last three years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the scheme "Padho Pardesh" for educational loans for  overseas studies for the students belonging to the minority communities;
- (c) the number of students who can avail the benefit of the scheme in a financial year and the number of students who got benefit of the scheme during the last three years, State-wise;
- (d) whether most of the students are not aware of such schemes and if so, the steps taken by the Government to create awareness about the scheme; and
- (e) whether the students belonging to minority community are facing difficulties in getting the scholarship and if so, the steps taken by the Government to streamline this process?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a) & (b ) : The  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  implements  a  Scheme  of 'Padho  PardeshInterest Subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies' under which interest subsidy is provided on educational loans of overseas studies to minority students for approved courses at Masters, M.Phil and Ph.D level. This is a 100% Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry through a Nodal Bank i.e. Canara Bank.

The objective of the scheme is to award interest subsidy to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections of notified minority communities to provide them better opportunities for higher education abroad and enhance their employability.  The  annual  income  of  the  family  from  all  sources  should  not exceed Rs. 6.00 lakh. The interest subsidy under the scheme is available to the eligible students only once, either for masters or Ph.D level. Students should have availed loan from a scheduled bank under the Educational Loan Scheme of Indian Bank's Association (IBA) for the purpose. Detailed scheme guideline is available on the website of this Ministry i.e. www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.

- (c): The details of estimated physical target and achievement under the scheme during the last three years are in the table below. There is no State-wise allocation and achievement under the scheme.
- (d) & (e): No, Madam. As shown in the table above, the physical achievement is higher than the  physical  target  during  the  last  two  years  and  the  current  year.    In  order  to make the target  group  aware  of  the  scheme,  wide  publicity  is  given  on  regular basis  through  various  Extension  activities  through  Directorate  of  Audio  Visual Publicity  (DAVP),  All  India  Radio  (AIR),  Doordarshan  and  National  Film Development  Corporation  etc.  Apart  from  this,  the  Nodal  Bank  also  takes necessary action to popularize the scheme by giving wide publicity of the scheme through print and electronic media and by organizing mega education loan camps

| Year                        | Achievement     | Achievement                            |
|-----------------------------|-----------------|----------------------------------------|
|                             | Physical Target | Physical Achievement (Fresh + Renewal) |
| 2013-14*                    | 100             | -                                      |
| 2014-15                     | 200             | 573                                    |
| 2015-16                     | 300             | 815                                    |
| 2016-17 ( up to 24.11.2016) | 300             | 727                                    |

across the country.

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