Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 30: For promoting the welfare and living conditions of residents of villages located in the vicinity of the shrine area, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has decided to significantly enhance the scale of scholarship amount provided for meritorious students as also the quantum of financial assistance given for celebrating marriages of daughters of the erstwhile Baridar families.
As per initiative taken by Governor N. N. Vohra, Chairman of the Shrine Board, special emphasis is being given for promoting the education of girls by providing them scholarships at a higher scale. The annual rates of scholarships have been increased significantly and students from class-I to those studying for post-graduation will now be provided scholarships ranging from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 18,000 per annum as against the present range of Rs. 1800 to Rs. 14,400 per annum.
In the case of girls the increased scholarship amount will now range from Rs. 4200 to Rs. 18,000 per annum while in the case of boys the renewed rates will be in the range of Rs. 3000 to Rs. 14,400 per annum, depending upon the classes in which they are studying.
Under yet another decision of the Board, the scale of financial assistance provided to the erstwhile Baridar families for celebrating the marriages of their daughters has been enhanced significantly. The basic financial assistance provided by the Shrine Board for the marriage of a daughter belonging to the erstwhile Baridar family has now been enhanced to Rs. 51,000 from the existing scale of Rs. 31,000. In case the bride’s father is not alive or both her parents are not alive, the financial assistance will now be Rs. 61,000 and Rs. 75,000 respectively, as against the current scales of Rs. 41,000 and Rs. 51,000.
It is pertinent to mention that during the past 15 years (2002-03 to 2017-18) under the scheme for grant of scholarships, more than Rs. 4.28 crore has been paid to 9945 meritorious students.
It may be mentioned that for students studying in I-XII class in Government Schools scholarships are being given to the top 10 meritorious students, based on their class-wise internal merit. All the Undergraduate and Post-Graduate Degree Course students belonging to the erstwhile Baridar families who may be studying anywhere in the country are eligible for scholarships provided the family of the beneficiary student normally resides in the rural areas surrounding the Trikuta Hills.
In the past 15 years over Rs. 3.11 crore has been paid as financial assistance and gifts for celebration of marriages of 1002 daughters belonging to erstwhile Baridar families.
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