Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah has said the government has launched a scheme titled, Padho Pardesh, for providing interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies for students belonging to the notified minority communities like Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis.

She said the objective of the scheme is to award interest subsidy to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections of the notified minority communities so as to provide opportunities for higher education abroad and enhance their employability.

She was replying to supplementaries during the question hour in the Lok Sabha today.

The Minister said under the scheme, 100 per cent interest subsidy will be provided on the interest payable on the education loan availed for the period of moratorium, which includes the course period plus one year or six months after getting the job, whichever is earlier.