Funds for SC's and BC's welfare increased: Minister

Chandigarh, July 5 (UNI) The Haryana government has more than doubled the plan allocation of funds to Department of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes (SC and BC) for implementation of various schemes.

The fund allocation has been raised from Rs 30 crore in the last finanancial year to Rs 80 crore during the current year.

While stating this today, the Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, Mrs Kartar Devi said over Rs 23 crore had been earmarked to give incentives to the students belonging to SC and BC during the current financial year. She said that a new scheme known as Dr Ambedkar Medhavi Chatra Yojna has been introduced from last financial year to give a scholarship of Rs 1000 per month to those outstanding students who belonged to SC's and BC's and had secured 60 percent or more marks in 10th class.

She said government also enhanced the amount of scholarships from Rs 30 per month to Rs 75 a month being given to students belonging to Scheduled Castes from class 6th to 8th.

Similarly, in case of classes 9th to 12th the amount of scholarship has also been raised from Rs 75 to Rs 100 per month.

Mrs Kartar Devi said the government had also enhanced to Rs 150 the amount of grant being given to students belonging to Scheduled Castes and studying in classes 6th to 8th for purchase of books and stationery. Similarly, in case of those studying in classes 9th to 12th the amount of grant has also been enhanced to Rs 200 per year.

She said the amount of interest free loan admissible for students belonging to Scheduled Castes to purchase books and stationery for post matric classes had also been raised for various classes. This ranged between Rs 2000 to Rs 6000 and so far as many as 8522 students were benefited during last financial year.

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