By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Students, both boys and girls, studying in Madrasa, High Madrasa and Senior Madrasa have started getting free Monthly Season Tickets (MSTs) in 2nd class in the trains from August 1 like other students. The scheme was announced by Railway Minister Mamata Banarjee in her Railway budget 2009-2010 in July.
The facility of free Monthly Season Ticket has already been available to the girl students of up to graduation level and boy students of up to 12th standard belonging to recognized educational institutions. The same facility has now been extended to the students of madrasas recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India or the Education Department of the concerned state government or affiliated to a recognized university.
These free MSTs are being issued directly from the station on production of the prescribed certificates from the Head of concerned madrasas, recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India or the Education Department of the concerned state government or affiliated to a recognized university. They can use the ticket to catch the train from the station nearest to their homes to the station nearest to their madrasas. This facility will be available to the entire nation.
Besides, in her Railway Budget Mamata Banarjee had also announced that 60% concession in the fares of Metro Rail Kolkata will also be granted to both boy and girl students studying in schools/Madrasas/recognized vocational institutions upto classes academically equivalent to class XII with effect from 1st August 2009. That scheme has also come into effect.
According to the announcement, concession will be granted directly from Kolkata Metro stations on production of prescribed certificate from the Head of the concerned Schools or Madrasas or vocational institutions recognized by Education Department of Government of West Bengal, or by Central Government (Ministry of Education), or are affiliated to recognized universities.