263 Scheduled Caste and 39 Scheduled Tribe Students Studying Abroad
Over the past decade, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students have been awarded National Overseas Scholarships( NOS) by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for studying abroad.
According to Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, 263 Scheduled Caste and 39 Scheduled Tribe students are currently studying abroad. New initiatives have been implemented to streamline the process, including inviting online applications through the portal, eliminating the requirement for police verification, self-declaration regarding pending cases / convictions, initiating QS ranking-based selection, and increasing the family income limit, number of slots, and financial assistance amount.
Formation of National Commission for Vagrant, Nomadic, and Semi- Nomadic Tribes
In February 2019, based on recommendations from the National Commission, the government formed a Development and Welfare Board for Vagrant, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities( DWBNC). Additionally, a scheme for economic empowerment of Vagrant and Nomadic Tribes( SEED) has been launched and is being implemented by DWBNC.
According to Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B. L. Verma, a committee chaired by the Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog has been formed to classify 268 communities that have not yet been classified. Under the SEED scheme, financial assistance of 15.00 crore rupees for the fiscal year 2023-24 and 32.43 crore rupees for 2024-25 has been allocated, benefiting 32,936 under the Livelihood component, 551 under Free Coaching, and 2,608 under the Health Insurance component.
April vizSy 2025 2025 | Dalit Andolan Patrika 49