Govt raises funds for SC, BC welfare schemes

Chandigarh, July 9 (UNI) Haryana government has raised plan allocation of funds to the tune of Rs 80 crore for implementation of various welfare schemes for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Backward Classes (BC) during the current financial year.

Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Kartar Devi said here that over Rs 23 crore have been earmarked to give incentives to the students belonging to SC and BC during the current financial year as against about Rs 17 crore spent for the purpose during last financial year, so as to encourage education.

She said that government also enhanced the amount of scholarships of Rs 30 per month to Rs 75 per month being given to students belonging to Scheduled Castes from class sixth to eighth. Similarly, in case of classes ninth to 12th the amount of scholarship has also been raised from Rs 75 to Rs 100 per month. While about Rs 12.53 crore were given as schoolship under this scheme during last financial year, over Rs 13.31 crore have been earmarked for the purpose during the current financial year.

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

About Rs 2.14 crore were given under the scheme during last financial year and now Rs 3.10 crore have been earmarked for the current financial year, she added.

The minister said the amount of interest free loan admissible for students belonging to Scheduled Castes to purchase books and stationery for post metric classes has also been raised for various classes and it ranged between Rs 2,000 and Rs 6,000 as against Rs 800 and Rs 2,000 earlier. As many as 8,522 students were benefited during last financial year.

She said a new scheme known as Dr Ambedkar Medhavi Chatra Yojna has been introduced from last financial year to give a scholarship of Rs 1,000 per month to those outstanding students who belonged to Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes and secured 60 per cent or more marks in 10th Class. While over Rs 1.49 crore have been given as scholarships during last financial year, Rs six crore have been earmarked for the purpose during the current financial year. UNI DP PDS RAI0505