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Cash amount of post-matric scholarships for SCs to be hiked
Updated on Saturday, August 14, 2010, 22:23
New Delhi: The cash amount of post-matric scholarships meant for
students belonging to scheduled castes will be raised by 70 per cent,
the Government said on Saturday.
"Rate of post-matric scholarship will be raised by about 70 per cent.
Steps have been initiated in this direction," Union Minister for
Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik said at a conference
organised by the LIC's SC, ST and Buddhist Employees and Officers
Association here.
Union Minister for State for Women and Child Development Krishna
Tirath and several MPs also attended the programme.
The government has taken a decision to revise and increase the cash
amount of post-matric scholarships keeping the rise in consumer price
index in mind, Wasnik said.
He underlined that the scheme, which was started in 1944, was revised
in 2003 only. "Since there is a big difference in consumer price index
now, we decided to revise it," he said.
The budget allocation on the scheme, which was Rs 750 crore last year,
will now be Rs 1,750 crore, he added.
The post-matric scholarships, a 100 per cent centrally sponsored
scheme, enable a considerable number of SC students to obtain
post-matric and higher level of education resulting in their overall
educational and economic development.
The value of scholarship includes maintenance allowance, additional
allowance for disabled students, reimbursement of compulsory
non-refundable fees, study tour charges, charges for thesis typing or
printing, book allowance for students pursuing correspondence courses
and book bank facility for specified courses for complete duration of
the course.
According to ministry, the scheme presently covers over 30 lakh
scheduled caste students.
On cases of atrocities against Dalits, Wasnik said that over 35,000
cases are registered every year.
"This (atrocity) is still continuing. Pendency of cases and low rate
of convictions are matters of concern," he added.
He said that government is trying its best to see that the law to
prevent atrocities against Dalits is implemented properly. The Centre
is monitoring the situation, he said.
On the issue of reservation to SCs and STs in private sector, Wasnik
said the India Inc and Chamber of Commerce had assured of
"affirmative" action on this issue (instead of agreeing to provide
quota). "We are trying to ascertain the progress made (by India Inc
and others) in this regard."
Addressing the conference, Tirath appealed to members of SC and ST
communities to provide proper education to their children and asked
the students to do their best to do well in their studies.
She said efforts should be made by SC and ST students to focus on
their education to the extent that they could be at the same level of
that of students from other categories.
She appealed the members of SC and ST communities to remain united so
that they can firmly demand their rights.
"If you place your demands with facts, it becomes duty of the
government to fulfil them," she added.
PTI
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