Addressing a press conference, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said any political rivalry with them should be kept aside when it comes to education of students.(Burhaan Kinu/HT FILE)
The Delhi government said it will not be able to give higher education loan to students this year and accused the Lieutenant Governor of refusing to approve the scheme that was sent to him recently with some amendments.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday that the L-G Anij Baijal has asked them to get Centre’s opinion on the scheme that was launched in 2015.
But the L-G office issued a statement refuting the allegation and maintained that there had “not been any rejection of the scheme”.
The government had recently proposed to extend the loan to Delhi students, who were pursuing higher education in government institutes outside Delhi unlike earlier when it was only given if student was studying in Delhi. The proposal was sent to the L-G for approval.
“But now the L-G has stopped the scheme and asked to get an opinion from the Central government. It is the Delhi government, which is using Delhi’s taxpayers money and wants to give loan to students. Taking opinion from Centre means the kids will not get loan as of now. There may be political rivalry with us but what is the rivalry to kids,” Sisodia said.
The statement said the L-G had always supported such initiatives but in this case the law department had expressed some reservations.
“Hence, the L-G had only advised the education department to consult the ministry concerned in government of India, which may have prior experience of such schemes, about the soundness of the scheme so as to avoid any legal and financial complications in future in the interest of students. It is reiterated that there has not been any rejection of the scheme,” the statement said.
Under the scheme, students are provided loans up to R 10 lakh by banks with the government as a guarantor.
[“Source-hindustantimes”]
