Education is that milk of a lioness, which strengthens an individual. Reiterating this idea of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the Minister of Agriculture Shri Gurmeet Singh Khuddia today paid tributes to the Father of Indian Constitution on his 134th birth anniversary. The district level celebrations were held at Maharaja Ranjit Singh College.
Speaking on this occasion Mr. Khuddian said that under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the work is being done on making the dreams of Dr Ambedkar ji a reality. He said that under the post matric scholarship scheme being run for scheduled caste students during the year 2024-25, Rs. 95.24 crore for 1,20,725 students of the year 2023-24 and Rs. 242.00 crore for the 2,22,762 students of the year 2024-25 and for the outstanding amount from the year 2017-18 to 2019-20, the amount of Rs.92 crore was released by the state government.
Thus, a total amount of Rs 429.24 crore was released under this scheme. For the students of other backward classes under post matric scholarship scheme, the Government of India from year 2021-23 has started PM Yashasvi Yojna.
This entails contribution of the center and state share in 60:40 ratio. This is now being implemented in Punjab. Under this scheme, an amount of Rs. 1.99 crore was released for 7,820 students of the year 2024-25.
He said that Rs 39.68 crore has been paid to the Punjab School Education Board during the year 2024-25 under the scheme for the supply of free textbooks for SC students studying in classes first to tenth. Also, during the year 2024-25, 616 students were given the benefit of Rs 111.05 lakh scholarship under the new career oriented course scheme in ITI.
He said that during the year 2024-25, an administrative approval of Rs. 593.69 lakhs has been issued for the construction of Dr. BR Ambedkar Bhavan at District Tarn Taran, out of which the work has been started with an amount of Rs. 60.00 lakhs. An amount of Rs. 570.76 lakhs has been transferred to the Chief Engineer (PWD) for the repair of Dr. BR Ambedkar Bhawans in 13 districts of the state of Punjab, out of which, during the year 2024-25, approximately Rs. 130.92 lakhs have been spent for the repair of the buildings.
During the year 2024-25, Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation disbursed subsidy amount including loans of Rs.9.13 crore to 522 beneficiaries under self-employment schemes. During the year 2024-25, an amount of Rs.5 crore has been given to 1141 beneficiaries under various schemes for Punjab Backward Classes Development and Finance Corporation (Bacfinco).
During the year 2024-25, an amount of Rs. 80 lakh was released to 8 non-governmental organizations (districts Sri Muktsar Sahib, Sangrur and Bathinda) which provide training in various trades such as computer training, cutting/tailoring and other vocations under the scheme of providing assistance to non-governmental organizations. On this occasion, the students of the college presented a short play showing the importance of Dr Ambedkar Scholarship that Punjab government is giving to its SC students.
Prominent among others present included chairman cooperative department Punjab Mr Jagdev Singh Baam, Mr Sukhjinder Singh Kauni chairman district planning board, Mr Jashan Brar market committee chairman Malout, ADC (G) Mr Gurpreet Singh Thind, SDM Malout Dr Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, District Welfare Officer Jagmohan Singh, principal Dr Rajinder Singh Sekhon, Chairman of college Sandhu and others.