To provide the pre-matric and post-matric scholarships to the students belonging to scheduled castes, backward classes and minority communities, the Punjab Government has earmarked Rs. 450.79 crore during the current fiscal to benefit as many as 21.70 lac students. Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of Chief Minister’s Office said that the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal reviewed the status of scholarship schemes at pre-matric and post-matric with the senior functionaries of the welfare department. The Chief Minister was apprised during the interaction the sum of Rs. 210.70 crore and Rs. 240.09 crore has been earmarked to benefit 15.98 and 5.72 lac students of these caste/communities under pre-matric and post-matric scholarship schemes respectively during 2013-14. Badal reiterated his firm commitment for overall development of the students belonging to scheduled castes, backward classes and minority communities across the state and asked the officers of the Welfare department for the timely disbursement of scholarships under these schemes.
It may be recalled that the State Welfare department has launched various programmes for providing pre-matric as well as post-matric scholarships. During 2007-08 to 2012-13 the state government through welfare department has utilized Rs. 183.91 crore to provide per-matric scholarships to 45.85 lac students belonging to scheduled castes, backward classes and minority communities. Subsequently, a sum of Rs. 334.49 crore has been disbursed to 5.35 lac students of these caste/communities under post matric scholarship schemes, during 2007-08 to 2012-13.