Chandigarh, October 15: Expressing his gratitude to Captain Amarinder Singh on launch of the state SC Post Matric Scholarship Scheme, Social Justice, Empowerment & Minorities Minister Sadhu Singh Dharmsot said the scheme reflects the Chief Minister’s vision and commitment for the needy sections.
The state cabinet had yesterday accorded its seal of approval to the new scheme in place of the Centre’s defunct scheme. The Centre had arbitrarily pulled its hands off leaving thousands of students in lurch, Dharmsot lamented criticizing the Modi government. The state scheme would facilitate SC students to pursue higher education in government and private institutions, the Minister underlined.
Reaffirming the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s personal commitment, Dharmsot said that increase in income criteria from earlier Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh would further accommodate more students.
To be effective from academic session 2020-21, the scheme will be applicable to persons belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), who are domiciled in Punjab and have done matriculation from Punjab (including Chandigarh). All central/state government and private institutions in Punjab (including Chandigarh) will be covered under the scheme.
The total financial implication of the proposal is estimated to be about Rs.600 crore. Of this, the tentative liability of the Government institutions would be about Rs.168 crore and the remaining Rs.432 crore would be borne by the private educational institutions and the government. Since the revised scheme envisages reimbursement of 60% to the private institutions by the state, the liability of the Government on this account would be 60% of Rs.432 crore i.e. about Rs.260 crore.
