New Delhi, Nov 16: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday demanded stressed the need for making educational loans easy and accessible to the students all across the State. 
 Speaking on the significance of educational loans to students under Educational Loan Scheme of Banks, the Chief Minister said that the State Government wants considerable fillip in the flow of credit to the students to help them in their persuasion to realize educational goals.
 He was speaking at the North Zone Chief Ministers’ Conference here. The meeting was convened by Finance Minister, P Chidambaram.
 Referring to the importance of enhancing credit flow to MSME sector and budding entrepreneurs, the Chief Minister gave details of the historic initiative of Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth (SKEWPY) put in place by the State Government to encourage youth to take to the schemes aimed at earning independent livelihood.
 He said that while 537 beneficiaries have been benefited under this scheme last year, the coverage this year is likely to be more than 2000. “We also launched a pilot project under youth start-up loan scheme this year where under soft loan at 6 percent interest is providing to the entrepreneurs”, he added, an official statement said.
 Strongly advocating for extension in the timeline of industrial package for Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said that this initiative is of significant importance for the development and universalization of industry in the State.
 He said special industrial package and concessions to investors to invest in Jammu and Kashmir hold greater importance to help growth and development of industrial sector in all parts of the State. 
 The Chief Minister also referred to the performance of centrally sponsored schemes envisaging educational loans, housing loans, credit weaker sections, progress in Swabhimaan campaign, electronic benefit transfer, campaign to ensure each family has at least one bank account, Swaran Jayanti Gram Swarozgar, Swaran Jayanti Shahari Swarozgar Scheme for Rehabilitation Of Manual Scavengers and Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme.
 The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the Union Finance Minister and UPA Government for extending full support to Jammu and Kashmir Government in its endeavour to achieve economic betterment and holistic welfare of the State equitably.
 The Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather and Financial Commissioner Finance, Muhammad Iqbal Khandey also participated in the Conference.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 17 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST