The
Minister for Tribal Affairs & Panchayati Raj Shri V. Kishore Chandra Deo today formally launched Education Loan Scheme titled
“ADIVASI SHIKSHA RRINN YOJANA”(ASRY) of National
Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation(NSTFDC). Under the Scheme, NSTFDC would provide loan
at concessional rate of interest to the eligible Scheduled Tribes for pursuing
higher professional and technical education including PhD. in India. conducted by colleges/universities approved by
UGC/Govt./AICTE/ICMR etc.
A
Scheduled Tribe having
annual family income upto Double the Poverty Line
would be eligible. The present limit is
Rs. 39,500/- p.a. for rural areas and Rs. 54,500/- p.a. for the urban areas. The
eligible candidates should apply to the respective State Channelising
Agencies of NSTFDC located in his/her domiciled State/UT in the prescribed
format along with copies of the requisite documents. Following are the features
of ASRY:
·
Loan would cover
expenses towards Admission/Examination/Library/ Laboratory/Tuition fee,
Boarding and Lodging, Caution Money, Building fund/Refundable Deposit, Books,
Stationery items, Computer, Equipments/Instruments, Study Tours, Project
Work/Thesis, Insurance Premium for
student and any other expense towards completion of course.
·
Quantum of
assistance: 90% of expenditure/deposits for entire
duration of the course
subject to a maximum loan amount
of Rs. 5.00 lakh (Five lakh
rupees) per eligible family.
·
Rate of Interest:
6% p.a. chargeable from the beneficiary.
·
Repayment: After the moratorium period (Course Period
plus one year or six months after getting job, whoever is earlier) within next
5 years subject to maximum period of 10
years.
·
Financial
Assistance for Income Generating Activities: In order to encourage self employment,
provision has been made in ASRY for extending concessional financial assistance
after completion of studies for undertaking income generating activities.
·
Linkage with
Interest Subsidy Scheme of Ministry of Human Resource Development(MoHRD) for educational loans: A scheme of MoHRD provides for full interest subsidy during the
moratorium period for economically weaker sections of Society for the approved
courses of study. Action has been initiated by NSTFDC for formally linking ASRY
with the scheme of MoHRD.
·
National
Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation has
been set up in April, 2001
as a Government of India Company under the Ministry of Tribal
Affairs. NSTFDC has been granted licence
under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (a company not for profit). NSTFDC provides financial assistance at
concessional rates of interest to STs for undertaking income generating
activities and for procurement and marketing of minor forest produce and other
tribal products. The financial assistance of NSTFDC is
provided through its State level Channelising Agencies
(SCAs), certain Public Sector Banks, certain Regional Rural Banks, National
Cooperative Development Corporation(NCDC), etc.
·
Other schemes of
NSTFDC:
(A) Income
Generating Schemes-
(i)
Term loan scheme: 90% loan for units costing upto Rs. 10.00 lakhs. Remaining 10% is contributed as Subsidy /
Margin Money and / or Promoter’s Contribution.
Interest chargeable from the beneficiaries on loan upto
Rs. 5.00 lakhs is @6% p.a. and above Rs. 5.00 lakhs @8% p.a.
(ii)
Adivasi
Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana: An exclusive
concessional scheme for women. 90% loan
for units costing upto Rs. 0.50 lakhs. Remaining 10% is contributed as Subsidy /
Margin Money and / or Promoter’s Contribution.
Interest @ 4% p.a. is chargeable from the beneficiaries.
(iii)
Micro Credit
Scheme: Maximum loan per SHG is Rs. 5.00
lakhs subject to loan per member not exceeding Rs.
35,000/-. Interest @ 6% p.a. is
chargeable from SHGs. Repeat loans
permissible.
(iv)
Self Help Groups(SHGs): 90%
loan for units costing upto Rs. 25.00 lakhs subject to investment not exceeding Rs. 50,000/- per
member. Minimum contribution of 10% by
SHGs. Rate of interest is 8% p.a.
chargeable from the SHGs.
(v)
Scheme for Artisans
trained by TRIFED: 90% loan for units
costing upto Rs. 50,000/- for individuals and upto Rs. 5.00 lakhs for
SHGs. Interest chargeable @ 4% p.a. for
ST women and 6% p.a. for ST men. TRIFED
assists in recovery of loan from the loanees to the
extent of purchases made by TRIFED from such loanees.
(B)
Marketing Support
Assistance: For procurement and marketing of minor forest produce/
agricultural produce collected/grown and for related products / services by the
Central/State Government owned agencies.
Interest is charged @ 7%p.a. for undertaking such activities.
(Contact
details of the Channelising Agencies are given at www.nstfdc.nic.in)
MC/SB/ls