The Punjab Government has disbursed attendance scholarship of Rs. 507.97 crore to 1,01,595 primary girl students of others backward classes in the educational institutions to improve the attendance rate of the girls in the schools.Divulging here today, the SC/BC Welfare Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said that this scheme was introduced under State Plan for the OBC's girl students of economically weaker families in the state. “It is a hard fact that the parents/guardians, who belong to economically weaker section mostly are not interested to educate their female child and even after getting admission in a school she is compelled to leave the studies and assist her parents to contribute for family income by performing nominal jobs”, said the Minister. Keeping these circumstances in view the State Government had decided to introduce incentive in the form of Attendance Scholarships to check the dropout tendency among the girl students, the Minister added.The Minister further said that from the period of commencement till March 2016, the Punjab Government had provided financial aid of Rs. 507.97 crore was provided to schedule OBC’s girl students under attendance scholarship.The Minister said that under this scheme, the monthly attendance scholarship was being provided per student for 10 months in a year. As per eligible criteria, the parents/guardians should not tax payer and they do not have more than 5 acre of land.