- Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura
Agartala, August 18, 2022 : Tripura’s Other Backward Class (OBC) Welfare department had a financial expenditure of Rs 96.13 crore for scholarships, awards and sponsorships among 1,73,534 students in pre and post matric, various higher education courses and meritorious students acquiring higher ranks in board examinations during the past three financial years, said OBC Welfare secretary Tapas Roy on Thursday.
In a press conference at Civil Secretariat here in Agartala city on Thursday noon, Secretary Roy said “In total, OBC Welfare department incurred an expense of Rs 90.73 crore for 1,65,620 students who have acquired pre-matric scholarships and post-matric scholarships in 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years.”
“OBC students securing 1st to 10th position in Madhyamik or HS+2 examination under TBSE are given a gold medal worth Rs 6,000 and Rs 19,000 cash for their outstanding academic performance, In last three financial years, 39 students acquired Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Gold Medal award with a financial expenditure of Rs 1.135 crore while Dr BR Ambedkar Merit Award with an amount of Rs 1,500 each was given to 9,484 students securing 60% and above marks in Madhyamik and HS+2 examination under different recognized boards in last three fiscal years with an expenditure of Rs 1.42 crore”, he added.
Citing the statistics of students benefited under different courses, Roy said “In 2019-20 financial year, 180 students were sponsored in B.Ed. and D.El.Ed. courses with financial implication of Rs 157.51 lakh, 6 students were sponsored in GNM course with an expenditure of 10.14 lakh and 50 students were sponsored in Para-Medical courses with an expenditure of Rs 64.25 lakh. While 155 economically weaker section meritorious OBC students received ‘One-Time’ financial support with an expenditure of Rs 155 lakh in 2020-21 FY and the department received 622 applications in 2021-22 FY, but the payment to eligible 200 students will be done by September 2022.”
Apart from this, OBC Welfare department’s top bureaucrat said “Under the socio-cultural schemes, 281 poor OBC patients were given financial assistance of Rs 12.59 lakh for medical treatment inside and outside state in 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 fiscal years as part of the nucleus budget. While Vidya Sagar Socio Cultural Award 281 eminent personalities were honoured with this award with financial implication of Rs 12.59 percent in the last three financial years.”
Moreover, a proposal for construction of 70 seated Girls hostel at Halhali and 50 Seated Boys hostel at Kulai has been sent to the Ministry with a financial involvement of Rs 386.88 lakh. Matter is being pursued with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GOI for sanction of the Scheme. Sanction is yet to be received from the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. Government of India, he also added.
On the other hand, the OBC Welfare department Secretary said “OBC Cooperative Development Corporation in 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years gave soft loan amounting to Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to 257 poor students with financial achievement of Rs 2.59 crore. 121 poor beneficiaries were given soft loan upto Rs 5 lakh of Rs 1.66 crore. 612 poor beneficiaries were given soft loan amounting from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh of Rs 8.95 crore.”
He further added “The new initiatives of the OBC Cooperative Development Corporation also include schemes like improvement of livelihood opportunities and technological upgradation in Rubber sector at Nalchar under Sepahijala district for 100 rubber growers with financial amount of Rs 22.62 lakh while the first phase of Rs 5.97 lakh has already transferred. 120 artisans have been enrolled for improvement of livelihood opportunities and technological upgradation in pottery at Melaghar under Sepahijala district of Rs 30 lakh.”
