Nitish launches several schemes for students of SC, ST, BC,

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today launched several schemes for students hailing from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Backward and Extremely Backward class and Minority, including the once in which cash incentive would be provided to them after cracking preliminary exams of UPSC and state services.

Under the "civil service incentive scheme", students- belonging to SC, ST, Backward and EBC categories-- cracking Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary test will get Rs 50,000 from this year for preparing for mains examination and interview, Kumar said.

Similarly, students of these categories cracking PT exam conducted by UPSC will get Rs 1 lakh for helping them for mains and interview, he added.

The scheme will be applicable to the people of minority community if any section or caste among them fall under EBC category.

Kumar launched the welfare schemes at a function here.

The "civil service incentive scheme" was approved by the state cabinet on May 8,2018.

"The scheme is aimed at helping students in preparation of mains examination and interview in a better way so that they can get selected finally...The students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward and Extremely Backward class should take benefit of the schemes and become officers in large numbers," the CM said.

Exhorting students to draw inspiration from Dr B R Ambedkar, Kumar said that Ambedkar proved that one can acquire higher degree by sheer dint of hard work irrepective of the class to which a person belongs to.

Talking about his "seven resolves" of good governance, Kumar said that Rs 4 lakh would be given as loan to pursue higher education at a soft interest of four per cent under Students Credit Card (SCC) scheme besides the interest rate would further come down to one per cent for girls, differently able persons, transgenders under SCC.

"Those who are availing the benefit of scholarships will also get the benefit of education loan...I want that everyone should study and grow further for the overall development of the society," Kumar said.

As per a survey conducted just after his assuming power in the state (in November 2005), 12.50 per cent of children were out of school, chunk of whom belonged to dalits and minorities, the CM said adding that now their "drop-out" per cent is below one per cent.

The construction of hostels for EBC has been started in the name of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur, he said.

Students are getting benefits of different types of scholarships, Kumar said adding that Rs 1000 will be given as monthly assistance to those students residing in hostels. They would receive the money directly into their bank accounts.

Stating that Centre has decided to give grains at BPL rate in these hostels, Kumar said that the state government has implemented a scheme under which 15 kg of grains- 9 kg of rice and 6 kg of wheat- are given to per student per hostel.

"Students can concentrate on their studies now as they will neither have to think about food nor about money," he said.

The CM also inaugurated various other schemes that included- Mukhyamantri Anusuchit Jati Evam Anusuchit Janjati Chhatravas Anudan Yojana, Mukhyamantri Pichhra Varg Evam Atyant Pichhra Varg Chhatravas Anudan Yojana, Mukhyamantri Alpsankhyak Kalyan Chhatravas Anudan Yojana.

Kumar also inaugurated the supply of food grains in the hostels run by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department, Backward and Extremely Backward class Welfare Department and Minority Welfare Department.

Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, Minority Affairs Minister Khurshid alias Firoz Ahmad, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) welfare minister Ramesh Rishideo, Backward and Extremely Backward Class Welfare Minister Brajkishore Bind, CM's Advisor Anjani Kumar Singh and secretaties and principal secretaries of different departments.