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Underprivileged ST/SC students in Odisha set to get ₹50k one-time aid
Odisha is a tribal-dominated state, with 22.85% of the population belonging to scheduled tribes and 17.13% from Scheduled Castes
Odisha will provide a one-time financial assistance of ₹50,000 to needy Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students from underprivileged backgrounds pursuing degree courses in any government college from this academic year.
“My government has been taking sustained interventions to improve the socioeconomic conditions and realize the educational needs of our tribal communities. Education, livelihood and protection of their rights have been our focus area,” chief minister Naveen Patnaik said at a meeting of Tribes Advisory Council on Tuesday.
“A one-time financial assistance up to ₹50,000 to needy ST-SC students from underprivileged backgrounds pursuing general degree course in any government institution in the state will be provided from this year,” the CM said.
Stating that education is key to socioeconomic upliftment, Patnaik said Odisha is one of the leading states in providing residential facilities to tribal students. Hostel facilities are available to more than six lakh students from 4.2 lakh households in 1,735 schools functioning under the SC/ST development department.
In the past 20 years, the number of high schools under the department has almost doubled, from 215 to 422. Similarly, 62 higher secondary schools have been opened, he said.
Odisha is a tribal-dominated state, with 22.85% of the population belonging to scheduled tribes and 17.13% from scheduled castes. In Odisha, the literacy rate is 69% for SCs and 52.24% for STs, much below the average literacy rate of 73% for the state.
Odisha is already providing pre-matric scholarship to SC and ST students from class 8 to 9, and from class 9 to 10 to reduce drop outs and improve enrolment and attendance. The pre-matric scholarship entails complete tuition fee, college admission fee, library fees, sports fee and monthly maintenance allowance of ₹550-1200.
It is also giving post-matric scholarships to SC/ST students through which scholars receive a waiver of 90% of the academic fee and other expenses for the entire duration of a 4-year course up to an amount of ₹1 lakh per annum. In order to provide better education to the ST/SC students in the best English medium schools of different towns and cities of 17 districts of the state, a programme called Anwesha has been introduced.
Patnaik said his government has set up special development councils for promotion, protection and preservation of tribal culture and traditions, heritage and identity by involving tribal people. This year, the programme has been expanded to 172 blocks of 23 districts, covering more than 84 lakh tribal people, he said. The state has launched a new scheme, ‘Mo Jungle Jami Yojana’ to ensure right to hold and live in forests to all eligible tribal forest dwellers.
