New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) Punjab National Bank, the second largest public sector bank in the country, today handed over Education Loan sanction letters to the meritorious students in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

''Education loan is the main thrust area of the Bank and no meritorious student student has been denied the opportunity for pursuing higher education for want of monetary reasons,'' said PNB CMD K C Chakrabarty.

Banks education loan portfolio as on June 2008 was Rs 1,187 crore, which grew by 62 per cent from Rs 731 crore in June 2007, Mr Chakrabarty added.

The Bank has financed 17 educational instituions and 522 students have been sanctioned a total of Rs 17.68 crore as educational loans in the districts of Meerut, Baghpat and Ghaziabad.