Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], April 13 : The Government of Gujarat is making numerous efforts for the welfare and upliftment of the Scheduled Caste communities, ensuring social justice and their empowerment in the state, as per a release
The Gujarat government is giving special priority to providing quality education to students from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community.
Currently, 1,822 SC students are studying in 25 model residential schools operating across the state. Additionally, 4,924 students are being provided with accommodation and meals in 79 government hostels. Under the Samras Hostel Scheme, 13,150 students have been admitted for the year 2024-25, out of which 2,110 are from the Scheduled Caste community.
In the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar taught us that social justice remains incomplete until the person standing at the last rung of society receives justice."
In the same context of social justice, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel believes, "The foundation of social justice and equality laid by Dr Ambedkar is the very inspiration behind the Gujarat government's inclusive and harmonious development model."
All these efforts by the state government reflect Prime Minister Modi's vision that "a strong India can only be built when the person standing on the lowest rung of society is given an opportunity."
The Gujarat government is providing extensive financial assistance to Scheduled Caste (SC) students at various educational levels.
Under the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, 3,57,095 students received support amounting to Rs 47.68 crore, while under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, 1,54,837 students benefited from assistance totaling Rs 297.08 crore.
In addition, through the Food Bill Scheme, 11,587 students were provided financial aid of Rs 17.33 crore, enabling them to focus entirely on their education without facing any financial obstacles.
The Gujarat government is not limiting its efforts for social justice to traditional education alone, it is also taking strong steps to integrate Scheduled Caste (SC) youth into the mainstream through professional education.
Recently, the government increased financial incentives for law graduates, which were Rs 7,000 for the first year, Rs 6,000 for the second year, Rs 5,000 for the third year, and Rs 3,000 per trainee for senior advocates mentoring them.
Similarly, under the Dr PG Solanki Scheme for medical professionals, the financial assistance for medical graduates has been increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000.
The Gujarat government's housing initiative for the Scheduled Caste community is not just about providing shelter but a concrete step toward ensuring social dignity and self-respect.
Under the Dr. Ambedkar Awas Yojana, more than Rs 238 crore in financial assistance has been provided to 55,329 beneficiaries so far. Recently, the government increased the assistance amount under this scheme by Rs 50,000, from Rs 1,20,000 to Rs 1,70,000.
Similarly, in a key move to promote self-reliance among SC youth, the government has announced up to 6 per cent interest subsidy on bank loans taken for vehicles, self-employment, and higher education.
Additionally, to enable youth to qualify for recruitment into the armed forces, the government has also decided to provide training support to 150 Scheduled Caste youth under the Agniveer Training Scheme.