Vani shree scheme for handicapped students

Bhubaneswar, Jul 11 (UNI) The Orissa government today replaced the Physically Handicapped Scholarship Rule,1978, with a new scheme ''Vani shree'' to be made effective from this academic session.

State finance minister P C Ghadhei told newspersons here that the new scheme was aimed at assisting students with disabilities for pursuing general/technical and professional education.

Mr Ghadhei said the mentally retarded students were included in the new scheme in addition to blind, deaf and orthopedically handicapped.

The government has revised the per month scholarship amount for primary students from the existing Rs 30 to Rs 100, for middle and high school students from Rs 40 to Rs 150 and for other students from Rs 60 to Rs 200.

The conveyance of the handicapped students was also raised from Rs 50 to Rs 100, the finance minister said.

The scheme would be implemented from the current academic year and would cost Rs 58.82 lakh per annum to the state exchequer, Mr Ghadei said.

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