Bedi airs concern over students defaulting on edu loans

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi Thursday expressed concern over several students allegedly not repaying loans borrowed from the Adi Dravidar welfare department for education and other purpose.

Addressing celebrations of International Day for Girl Child here, Bedi said thousands of students who had taken loans have not repaid them even after getting jobs.

This makes implementation of the loan scheme difficult, she said.

Noting that hard work and discipline alone would stand the youth in good stead, the former IPS officer said scholarship for students would be only on the basis of their merits.

"Scholarship is not your birth right," she said.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who presided and released the logo of the celebration of the International Girl Child Day, said women in South have more freedom than their counterparts in northern parts of the country.

He said the Union Territory recognises property rights of women, has introduced rebate on stamp duty for purchase of property in the name of women, and ensured availability of investment and subsidy for women entrepreneurs.

In his address, Welfare Minister M Kandasamy said the Lt Governor and the Chief Minister, along with government officials, should jointly take the initiative for various developmental programmes and come out with a policy for implementing various schemes.