Gujarat Government on Friday announced five new schemes for education and self-employment opportunities to economically weaker members of non-reserved communities.

The schemes designed in lines of aid being provided to reserved category would cover around 1.5 crore people in the State belonging to 58 non-reserved communities, claimed Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel adding that all these schemes are formulated in a manner that reserved communities would continue to get their quotas as per the Constitution.

Notification for these schemes would be issued next week, said Patel. Last year Gujarat Government had initiated procedure to form Gujarat non-reserved category Commission as well as Gujarat Non-reserved Category Education and Financial Development Corporation. Both these bodies have now established with their own fully functional offices in the state capital Gandhinagar with an aim to roll out programmes for the unreserved communities in Gujarat who are not getting the benefits of reservation despite weak economic condition. On suggestions of these two bodies, the State Government announced the new schemes which according to Patel would benefit nearly 1.20 crore students across the State.

Elaborating on the schemes, Dy CM said that under these schemes financial aid including interest subsidy would be extended to students from non-reserved categories whose family income is less than Rs 3 lakh per annum. The aid would be in form of interest subsidy on educational loans as well as soft loans up to Rs 15 lakh, including for studies abroad, tuition fees of Rs 15,000 for Class X students who have scored more than 70 per cent marks, Rs 20,000 for preparation of national-level competitive exams and food subsidy of Rs 1,200 per month for 10 months to students living in hostels.

The Government has also made provisions for providing self-employment loan of up to Rs 10 lakh to buy auto rickshaw, loading auto rickshaw or taxi, open a laboratory or office. While women would get the loan at 4 per cent interest, men would be given a loan at five per cent interest.

The commission had recommended giving all the benefits to students or candidates belonging to non-reserved category communities, on par with those available to OBCs under various schemes, including age limit relaxation for a job, among others. However, the State Government was silent on this issue.

Writer: Nayan Dave

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Gujarat Government on Friday announced five new schemes for education and self-employment opportunities to economically weaker members of non-reserved communities.

The schemes designed in lines of aid being provided to reserved category would cover around 1.5 crore people in the State belonging to 58 non-reserved communities, claimed Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel adding that all these schemes are formulated in a manner that reserved communities would continue to get their quotas as per the Constitution.

Notification for these schemes would be issued next week, said Patel. Last year Gujarat Government had initiated procedure to form Gujarat non-reserved category Commission as well as Gujarat Non-reserved Category Education and Financial Development Corporation. Both these bodies have now established with their own fully functional offices in the state capital Gandhinagar with an aim to roll out programmes for the unreserved communities in Gujarat who are not getting the benefits of reservation despite weak economic condition. On suggestions of these two bodies, the State Government announced the new schemes which according to Patel would benefit nearly 1.20 crore students across the State.

Elaborating on the schemes, Dy CM said that under these schemes financial aid including interest subsidy would be extended to students from non-reserved categories whose family income is less than Rs 3 lakh per annum. The aid would be in form of interest subsidy on educational loans as well as soft loans up to Rs 15 lakh, including for studies abroad, tuition fees of Rs 15,000 for Class X students who have scored more than 70 per cent marks, Rs 20,000 for preparation of national-level competitive exams and food subsidy of Rs 1,200 per month for 10 months to students living in hostels.

The Government has also made provisions for providing self-employment loan of up to Rs 10 lakh to buy auto rickshaw, loading auto rickshaw or taxi, open a laboratory or office. While women would get the loan at 4 per cent interest, men would be given a loan at five per cent interest.

The commission had recommended giving all the benefits to students or candidates belonging to non-reserved category communities, on par with those available to OBCs under various schemes, including age limit relaxation for a job, among others. However, the State Government was silent on this issue.

Writer: Nayan Dave

Courtesy: The Pioneer