Govt Employees: Home loan at only 5pc interest rate

Government employees are going to get low interest loans at 20-year repayment periods for buying houses or apartments, says a circular issued by the finance division yesterday.

The circular, effective from July 1 this year, says any government employee under the age of 56 can get the low interest housing loan.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith had announced the low interest housing loans for government employees in his budget speech in June.

He said the move would motivate government employees to be more proactive in delivering public services and establish good governance everywhere.

READ MORE: Public servants to get cheap housing loan

Based on the location and grade of a government employee, he or she can now take loans starting from Tk 20 lakh to Tk 75 lakh with a 10 percent interest rate.

Of the 10 percent, the government will grant five percent subsidy to the interest while the employee will bear the rest. The rate of interest will be charged only on the principal amount.

Around Tk 300 crore has been allocated for the subsidy which the government will include in this year's budget.

Employees can take loans from Sonali, Rupali, Agrani Banks and House Building Finance Corporation.

However, according to the circular, the government can designate other banks at any time.

Employees serving with nationalised, autonomous and state-owned companies and institutions created through any special act will not be eligible for the loan.

According to the circular, loans can be taken out for building houses and purchasing ready-made flats and whoever takes it should maintain their salary account with the bank from which the loan is taken.

Installments of the loan will be deducted from the salary every month.

For loans taken out for buying apartments, the debt-to-equity ratio will be 90:10.

The payment of installments will begin after one year for building houses, and six months for ready-made apartments.

Currently, there are 14 lakh government employees in the country who can avail this facility.