MANISH GUPTA
Ranchi, Nov 10: The Jharkhand government on Thursday opened its purse strings for poor students and youths looking for skills by approving four ambitious programmes. These will be launched by President Droupadi Murmu on Foundation Day on 15 November 2022.
“The state government has drafted three programmes for students so that they do not face financial constraints in paying coaching fees for competitions for colleges and jobs, and also in paying tuition fees once admitted,” Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said.
Mukhyamantri Shiksha Protsahan Yojana provides for free coaching at select coaching institutes in the state for various competitions namely engineering, medical, law, mass communication, fashion designing, hotel management and chartered accountancy.
“This programme can be availed by 10th pass students. Apart from getting free coaching, they will get a monthly student allowance of Rs 2,500 for other expenses. Their parents should not be in the income tax payee category,” Higher Education Secretary Rahul Purwar said.
The state government has decided to support 8,000 students in this programme next year. Selection guidelines will be drafted and empanelment of coaching institutes will happen soon. Admission tests will be taken to gauge the merit and interest of the students.
“We have also come up with Eklavya Yojana, which will help in taking coaching for job-oriented competitions like UPSC, JPSC, bank clerks and PO, railway board and various staff positions. Here we have a target of helping 27,000 students,” Purwar said.
For those who finally make it to the big institutions of higher education, irrespective of the income level of parents, the Jharkhand government has approved ‘Guruji Credit Card’ to help pay the fees and meet other expenses, and pay back the loan later.
“The credit card will allow loan up to Rs 15 lakh, released as per the schedule of the college fees over the duration of the course. A maximum of 30% of the loan will be given directly to the student for meeting non-institutional expenses like stay and laptops.
“The students will get a moratorium of one year after the completion of education and then they get 15 years time to pay back the loan at 4% interest. This will be done in collaboration with banks. The state will bear about 6%-7% interest as subsidy and will pay the entire amount if the student becomes a defaulter,” Purwar said.
However, there will be selection criteria to become a beneficiary of this programme.
Mukhyamantri Sarthi Yojana, devised by the state labour department, will be executed by the Jharkhand Skill Mission. “We have skilling centres up to the district headquarter level. This program aims to take it up to the block level,” Jharkhand Labour Secretary Prawin Toppo said.
Non-residential trainees for various skilling programmes like carpentering and tailoring will get Rs 1,000 per month transport allowance under this program. Another financial help is unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 per month for boys and Rs 1,500 for girls and handicapped trainees after three months of training till the end of first year.
Further, the Hemant Soren cabinet also increased the dearness allowance of the state government employees and pension holders as per the sixth pay commission from 203% to 212%, and from 381% to 396% from 1 July 2022, Vandana Dadel said.
Among the many other approvals, the cabinet sanctioned Rs 4.40 crore for building Palash Mart in the premises of Krishi Nideshalaya at Kanke in Ranchi. The job of preparing the Economic Survey and other related documents have been awarded to Harishwar Dayal, HoD, Economics, St Xavier’s, Ranchi, in his individual capacity.
