Chief minister Yogi Adityanath reiterated on Saturday that the Uttar Pradesh government would provide scooties to 50,000 meritorious girl students in their final year of graduation next month.
Under the Rani Lakshmibai Scooty Scheme, approved by the Uttar Pradesh cabinet in July, free scooties will be given on a merit basis to 5% meritorious women students in each university and college provided they are natives of Uttar Pradesh.
Yogi also said the state government is providing tablets to two crore youths and 60 lakh have already received them and the rest will get theirs soon.
The CM was addressing an event where he transferred over ₹148 crore in scholarships and fee reimbursements to the accounts of more than 4.60 lakh students (pre-matric and post-matric) for the current fiscal and personally handed over certificates to 11 students.
Targeting the previous government, he said scholarships for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were not disbursed at all during the Samajwadi Party rule. Yogi said the previous government misappropriated these funds. He noted that when the BJP government assumed office in 2017, it disbursed scholarships for both 2016-17 and 2017-18 simultaneously.
“The ‘Saifai Syndicate’ was preoccupied solely with plunder and exploitation. For these individuals, who cared only about their own families, the rest of the state’s population was of no consequence,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“The ‘Saifai Syndicate’ was preoccupied solely with plunder and exploitation. For these individuals, who cared only about their own families, the rest of the state’s population was of no consequence,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Prior to 2017, only ₹2,900 crore was allocated for scholarships, whereas today, the BJP government provides ₹6,200 crore,” the CM said. He further said there is no shortage of funds for students; every eligible child will receive a scholarship, and those who have missed out should apply soon. “Over the past nine years, more than 4 crore students have received scholarships and fee reimbursements,” he said.
Additionally, scholarships were provided to 9.40 lakh students from low-income groups. The government has established a specific timeline for scholarship distribution. Transfers to student accounts began once the admission process concluded.
Yogi urged students to spend the scholarship money on education. “Alongside your academic curriculum, read the autobiographies of great figures as well as informative and religious books; expand your personal collection of books,” he advised students.
The CM instructed social welfare, backward classes welfare and minority welfare departments to ensure that funds are deposited into the children’s accounts monthly and that no eligible child is left out.
Previously, 4 lakh children from SC/ST categories failed to receive scholarships due to various reasons. The portal was subsequently rectified and those deprived children are now set to receive their scholarships. Yogi said scholarships would reach every eligible child. Currently, 4.60 lakh children are receiving scholarships, a figure that needs to be raised to 70 lakh.
Yogi highlights struggles of his ministers
The CM talked about the struggles of some of his ministers to illustrate that hard work pays off. He said minister of state Sanjeev Gond used to wander through forests when he realised that instead of chasing a job, he should raise the voice of the public and the tribal community.
“Minister Asim Arun has served as an IPS officer, holding positions such as ADG and police commissioner of Kanpur,” Yogi added. “Danish Azad Ansari and Narendra Kashyap also engaged in social work alongside their struggles. Baijnath Rawat, Chairman of the SC/ST Commission, is a former MLA and MP. Now, all of them, as ministers, work towards finding solutions to the public’s problems,” the CM said.