Indira Gandhi's name removed from scheme in Rajasthan, Congress fumes

The scheme was originally started by Ashok Gehlot government in 2010-11 under the name Indira Priyadarshini Puruskar Yojana.

The BJP-led government in Rajasthan's decision to change the name of a scheme for girl students from Indira Priyadarshini Puruskar Yojana to Padmakshi Puruskar Yojana has left the Congress fuming.

Under the scheme, girls acing the Rajasthan Board in Secondary Education (RBSE) exams are given cash rewards and certificates.

The scheme was originally started by Ashok Gehlot government in 2010-11 under the name Indira Priyadarshini Puruskar Yojana. During the initial years, it was being given to district toppers in class 10th and class 12th in four categories - schedules caste, scheduled tribe, other backward class and minorities.

Later, general category and Below Poverty Line category were also added to the scheme and the cash reward was increased to Rs 100,000 for Class 12 and Rs 50,000 for Class 10 from Rs 50,000 to and Rs 40,000 respectively.

The decision to rename the scheme was taken last month. The state education minister Vasudev Devnani refrained from commenting on the name change, but said that the scheme has been extended to girls studying in class 8th as well.

Former chief minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that the move reflected 'mean mentality' of the ruling government, reported HT.

The award will be given on Basant Panchami at district-level functions every year beginning with 2017-18 session.

Rajasthan government was criticised even earlier for allegedly rewriting the text books to promote Hindutva ideologue of Veer Savarkar. It was even alleged that the roles of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru in the freedom struggle were marginalised in the new text books.

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