Pondy: Min comes to rescue of students

Puducherry, Aug 7: With no clear picture emerging about continuing the Kamaraj educational assistance scheme under which the government here would reimburse the tuition fees to students selected for professional courses through the centralised admission committee(CENTAC), Puducherry Welfare Mnister M Kandasamy has come to the rescue of the Adi Dravidar students on the issue.

As the government had already announced that the tuition fees for Adi Dravidar students selected for the MBBS course through the CENTAC would be provided from the Special Component Plan (SCP)fund meant for the welfare of Dalits, the students today called on the minister, who was hospitalized following an accident, and apprised him that tomorrow would be the last date to pay the fees.

The minister immediately convened a meeting in his hospital room with social welfare secretary, Director-Adi Dravidar Development Department and other officials.

Mr Kndasamy directed the officials to provide the money immediatley. And as the students could not afford to pay the ''other fees'' in private medical colleges, ranging from Rs One lakh to Rs 1.10 lakh in different colleges, he directed the officials to provide the amount as a long-term loan to students through the Puducherry Adi Dravidar Development Corporation (PADCO).

The students can repay the money after completing their studies.

The government would pay the interest on the loan to the Corporation.

UNI