Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturdayformally launched the recently announced Dr BR Ambedkar Post Matric SCScholarship scheme, and also virtually laid the foundation stone of Rs 50 croreworth of projects at Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal (Ram Tirath), Amritsar, tomark the auspicious occasion of the Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti.
Participating in the Valmiki Jayanti celebrations here, theChief Minister also virtually inaugurated a new Ram Tirath ITI, while give thego-ahead for the establishment of a Skill Development Centre to prepare Dalitstudents for competitive exams. In addition, he announced an annual holidayunder the Negotiable Instruments Act in remembrance of the great personality,and said that GNDU, Amritsar, will organise an Annual Seminar on BhagwanValmiki on the eve of his Birth Anniversary every year.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister distributed Post MatricSC Scholarship Certificates to SC students and congratulated the Valmiki Samajfor various schemes launched by the Technical Education and other Departmentsfor the Dalit community in the state. His government was committed to thewelfare of the community, he added.
The Chief Minister said the state scholarship scheme willensure that poor SC students get free higher education, which the Government ofIndia had unfairly deprived them of with its abrupt withdrawal of central aidof Rs 800 crore to the state. The Dr B.R. Ambedkar Post Matric SC Scholarship,being launched without any financial contribution from the Centre, will provide100% fee waiver for SC students to give them net savings of about Rs 550 crore,he said.
The scheme, which will benefit more than 3 lakh poor SCstudents every year, will involve no upfront payment by these students togovernment/private educational institutions. The institutes will provide freeeducation to SC students under the scheme against direct subsidy from the stategovernment, the Chief Minister announced, adding that the students will alsoget monthly stipend to buy books, uniforms etc.
Giving details of the Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal projects,the Chief Minister said these include a Panorama on Maharishi Valmiki (Rs.25-30 crore), Facade Lights (Rs. 10.9 crore), Filtration Plant in the Sarovar(Rs. 4.75 crore), Furniture for the Sarai (Rs. 2 crore) and Construction of aParikrama (Rs. 1.3 crore).
Virtually inaugurating the temporary campus of the ITI atRam Tirath, Captain Amarinder said the institute will contribute to generatingmore jobs for youngsters. Around 90 trainees had so far been admitted to theinstitute, he announced, adding that the student strength will be raised to 240by next year when the building will be renovated at a cost of Rs. 1.82 crore and machinery worth Rs 3.5 crorewill be procured. The number of courses will also be increased year from thecurrent four to nine, he added.
Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said theinstitute will be developed as a state-of-the-art facility.
Earlier, MLA and Warehousing Corporation Chairman Raj KumarVerka castigated the Centre for stopping the Post Matric SC scholarships andthanked the Chief Minister for starting a new state scheme to compensate thestudents for the loss. Verka presented a specially created short film on theValmiki Samaj on the occasion.
Several leading representatives of the Valmiki Sant Samajwere present at the celebration.