On the occasion of Dr BR Ambedkar’s 130th birth anniversary, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh paid homage by announcing that at least 30 per cent of funds under all government schemes will be spent on the welfare of the state’s Scheduled Castes (SC) population.
The Chief Minister also paid a floral tribute to the architect of the Indian Constitution at a virtual state-level event and declared filling up of the SC vacancy reserve in all departments on preference, while promising to examine a post-matric abroad scholarship scheme for SC students, on the lines of the Baroda State Scholarship Scheme granted to Baba Sahib under a scheme established by Sayajirao Gaekwad III.
As per the media release, Mr Singh declared that his government also intends to provide 30 per cent reservation for SC applicants in villages under the “Har Ghar Pakki Chhat” scheme, and also 30 per cent in the affordable housing scheme for EWS.
The Punjab government also plans to set up a Dr B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Training at Jalandhar for competitive exams, including civil services. Intended to be organised under GGRK mission, it will have 50 per cent seat reservation for aspirants belonging to SC families.
Additional projects proposed include Dr BR Ambedkar museum and Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Management in PTU Campus, Kapurthala, the Chief Minister added.
Some of the other suggested projects include a special ? 500 crore Rural Link Roads project for the financial year 2022 to connect the basis of SC and other poorer sections of the society, which currently do not have road connectivity.
Another fund of ? 100 crore is meant in 2021-22 for the modernisation of villages having more than 50 per cent SC population.
Smartphones will be given to all class 12 SC students in government schools, so as to motivate people to take up dairy farming, 150 village-level awareness camps and training at 9 training & extension centres will be held, with special emphasis on Scheduled Caste beneficiaries, he added.
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