New Delhi, (Samajweekly) Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday extended financial assistance of Rs 48.14 crore and handed over the cheques to 6,820 students pursuing higher education under the Merit-cum-Means financial assistance scheme.
Distributing the cheques to students, Sisodia said, “it is the responsibility of the Delhi Government that any student in Delhi who is talented and ready to work hard does not miss out on the opportunity to study. It is the responsibility of the Delhi government that any child who is progressing in the field of higher education should not stop his studies due to lack of fund.”
The Deputy CM said that only 2,500 students were benefited with a budget of Rs 14 crore in the beginning of this scheme, adding that, it is a matter of great happiness that this year 6,820 students are getting benefit from this scheme. “This year the budget for this scheme has been increased to Rs 48 crore,” said Sisodia.
Sisodia, who is also Delhi’s Education Minister, said that unemployment is the biggest crisis the country is facing today. “We have to make India a country of job providers,” he aded.
He appealed to students to become a job provider and make such companies that the children living abroad start dreaming of getting jobs in Indian companies. He said that any country becomes a developed nation not on the strength of the governments or their policies but on the basis of a better quality education.
The Deputy CM appealed to the beneficiaries that it is now their responsibility to become a good businessman, a good officer, a good teacher and do their duty towards the country.
Over 13,000 students have been benefited under the scheme in the last 3 years with an amount of Rs 87 crore. The scheme provides hundred per cent financial assistance to the children of ration cardholder families, 50 per cent financial assistance to those whose annual family income is less than Rs 2.50 lakh, and 25 per cent to those whose annual family income is more than Rs 2.50 lakh but less than Rs 6 lakh.
