JAMMU: The former minister and General Secretary of BJP J&K Unit, Dr. Davinder Kumar Manyal Saturday said that the government in recent Union cabinet decision has approved a massive package of Rs 60 crore package scheme exclusively for Schedule Caste (SC) students across country including J&K.
Addressing a news conference, BJP General Secretary, Dr. Davinder Kumar Manyal as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that in the recent decision by Union Cabinet for major reformation in the education department has started a post-matric scholarship for SC students which is a centrally sponsored scheme exclusively for the Schedule Caste students of the country including J&K.
“The post-matric scholarships will benefit lakhs of students with a package of over Rs 59 crore rupees in next five years”, he said.
He said the official communique received (From Central Govt) states that Rs 4 crore students belonging to the scheduled caste (SC) category will be benefitted under the scheme and the total investment from the government will be Rs 59.48 crore rupees of which 60 percent will come from the center while the UT administration will do the rest.
“Serval researches and data have revealed that the Schedule Caste (SC) community students have the highest drop-out ratio from the educational institutions who don’t join school beyond 10th standard given the financial problems”, he said. “All the SC students will be benefited under this scheme especially those who drop studies in absence of financial help wishing to join technical or any other institute”.
“Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of Jammu and Kashmir is very low compared to the rest of the parts of India and the package will help the drop-out students and others not to give up the studies and it’ll be ensured students pursue higher education without any hesitation and problems”, the former minister said.
Kumar said that the main focus of this scheme will be to enroll the drop-out students in educational institutions and the scholarship money will directly go to the account of students. “There will be comprehensive accountability and transparency in the government department”, he said.
He said that 1.3 Crore drop-out students estimated by far will be enrolled in the schools and made to continue their studies 10th onwards. “The entire scheme will run online to ensure full transparency and States/UT will have to verify the documentation and open the Aadhar based accounts for students”, he said.
BJP ever since in power has worked for the uplifting of downtrodden and those deprived, he said.