Rs 199 cr in scholarships for ST students in 2006-07

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) The Ministry of Tribal Affairs provided Rs 198.93 crore to students from Scheduled Tribes for pursuing post-matriculation courses during the last financial year, it was officially announced today.

A spokesperson for the Tribal Affairs Ministry here said, the Ministry provided financial assistance to ST students for professional, technical as well as non-professional and non-technical course at various levels.

The scheme in this regard also includes correspondence courses, including distance and continuing education at recognised institutions.

The scheme is implemented by the State Government and Union Territory administrations which receive 100 per cent Central assistance over and above the committed liability which is required to be borne by them from their own budgetary provisions.

The value of the existing scholarships includes maintenance allowance, reader charges of blind students, study-tour charges, thesis typing/printing charges, book allowance to students pursuing correspondence course and compulsory non-refundable fees charged by the educational institutions.

The maintenance allowance for hostellers is between Rs 235 per month to Rs 740 per month and for day-schoolars from Rs 140 per month to Rs 330 per month -- depending upon the level of courses.

The prescribed annual income ceiling of both the parents/guardians, under the scheme, is upto Rs 1,00,000 -- the income ceiling is linked to the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers and shall be revised once every two years, the spokesperson said.

UNI