Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil while presiding over the meeting of the state level committee constituted under the Mukhya Mantri Sukh-Ashraya Kosh (MMSAK) here today revealed that 68 applications were approved for the higher education of the orphan children as described as the 'Children of the State'.
Dr. Shandil said that a resolution has been taken by the Government to raise the living standard of about 4000 destitute and orphan children in the state by providing them higher education and employment-oriented vocational courses and as a result of which the committee so formed, has approved 68 applications today for the higher education of such children upto the postgraduate, Ph.D. and other higher education courses.
The state government will bear Rs 28,28,457 on the higher education of such 'Children of the State'. Apart from this, Rs. 32.64 lakh will be spent on providing them a stipend of Rs 4000 per month, he added. Four applications related to self-employment assistance were also approved by the committee under which an assistance of Rs 7,45,500 will be provided to them. Apart from this, 42 applications for vocational training, 16 for coaching and two for skill development were also discussed.
The Minister said that the state government would provide benefits worth Rs 83,26,321 to all 134 applicants. Besides, a stipend of Rs 59.60 lakh will be provided to 128 beneficiaries. Dr. Shandil said that in the committee meeting held in August this year, a total of 48 applications related to higher education were approved and a sum of Rs 15,52,678 for higher education and Rs 23,04 lakh was sanctioned as a stipend to these children.
He also directed all concerned officers to implement the scheme in an effective manner. Director Women and Child Development, Rupali Thakur, Director Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities and Specially Abled Persons Empowerment Department, Pradeep Kumar, Additional Director of Women and Child Development Department, Mohan Dutt and senior officers of various departments were present in the meeting.