Despite the resumption of almost all economic activities in Haryana during Lockdown 4.0, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal while pledging to continue to assist the farmers, labourers, poor people, businessmen and entrepreneurs, on Wednesday announced several new initiatives like paying three months' interest on student loans by the State government.
The Chief Minister was addressing the people of the State today during the 'Haryana Aaj' programme. He said that there are many such students, who have taken loan for their education. Haryana government will pay the interest of three months of all those students who are completing their education this year or who have already completed their education in the previous year but have not been able to start their jobs or business due to this epidemic.
As many as 36,000 students will be benefitted with an amount of about Rs 40 crore, said an official statement.
Similarly, the Haryana government will bear two per cent of the total interest on loans of up to Rs 50,000 under 'Shishu Yojana' of Mudra Loan Scheme of the Central government. They will not be required to give any type of collateral for this loan. Under this scheme, the loan will be provided to 5 lakh persons of the state.
The Chief Minister said that the Haryana government will provide loans of up to Rs 15,000 to 3 lakh poor people for starting their own small business at only two per cent interest. These loans will be provided under the Differential Rate of Interest (DRI) scheme, in which banks charge four per cent interest. Of this, two per cent interest will be borne by the State government.
He said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic activity has been limited for the last three months. As a result, not only the family income has been affected but the government's revenue has also come down drastically. He said that the government was determined that in this crisis, not even a single person should sleep hungry.
The Chief Minister said that keeping in mind the spirit of Antyodaya that no one should sleep hungry, the free ration is also being made available to more than 27 lakh families by the State government. Apart from this, 3,70,925 families, who do not have any ration card, are also being provided free ration through distress ration tokens.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently announced an economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore under the 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat'. Taking it forward, the Haryana government is doing everything possible to provide full benefits to its farmers, labourers, poor people, businessmen and entrepreneurs and will also start various new schemes for the benefit of people for this purpose.
( With inputs from ANI )