Govt to bring law for full use of funds for tribal students

Minister Nitin Raut on Saturday said the Maharashtra government will bring a law on the lines of Karnataka and Telangana to ensure that funds allotted for students from tribal communities are utilized fully.

Ravindra Phatak raised the issue of problems faced by Scheduled Tribes (ST) students in government hostels through a calling attention motion in the Legislative Council.

Leader of Opposition in the Council Pravin Darekar alleged that budget funds for hostels for ST students are not spent fully.

Raut, in reply, said Karnataka and Telangna have laws to ensure full spending of funds.

"We will work on introducing that pattern in Maharashtra on the lines of SC-ST Department Act of Karnataka and Telangana," the cabinet minister, whose portfolios include tribal welfare department, said.

The government will also provide coaching for competitive examinations to ST students living in hostels, he said.