Chandigarh, February22: The Punjab Government has providedRs. 21,000 to the daughtersof the economically weaker section of the state onthe occasion of their marriageas Shagun. Rs. 39 crore has been released to19082 daughters of the state as financialassistance under the AshirwadScheme.
Punjab Social Justice, Empowerment and MinoritiesMinisterMr. Sadhu Singh Dharmsot said that as many as 10873 girls belongingtoScheduled Castes had been given the benefit to the tune of Rs. 22 croreunderAshirwad Scheme during the year 2020,, while Rs. 17 crore was handed overto8209 girls of Backward Classes and economically weaker sections at the timeoftheir marriages.
The Minister pointed out that the Punjab Government hasnotifiedits new Dr. B.R. Ambedkar SC Post Matric Scholarship Scheme on October27,2020, which had been applicable from the academic session 2020-21. Thebenefitof this scheme would be given to those students of Scheduled Castes, whopassedmatriculation from Punjab State and Chandigarh. Under this scheme theincomelimit (both of mother-father) had been enhanced from Rs. 2.50 lakh to Rs.4lakh. The benefit under the scheme had also been extended to Central andStatelevel institutes of higher education of Punjab and Chandigarh.
Also read: Punjab CM Virtually Launches Rs 1087 Crores Development Projects under Smart City and Amrut Schemes
The Minister said that the State Government has runthreewelfare schemes to grant benefits to minority students. These schemesarepre-matric scholarship scheme, post-matric scholarship schemeandmerit-cum-means based scholarship, said the Minister adding that during2020benefit to the tune of Rs. 76.14 crore were extended to 4,68,622underpre-matric scholarship scheme, while under post matric scholarship scheme56664students got benefit of Rs. 30.18 crore, whereas under merit-cum-meansbasedscholarship scheme as many as 2404 students received scholarships worthRs.6.45 crore through DBT mode.