By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Salman Khurshid wants pre-matric scholarships for minorities to be increased to 30 lakh this year from 6 lakh distributed last year.
Talking to pressmen yesterday he disclosed some plans to be launched by his ministry. Apart from pre- and post-matric scholarships the ministry also plans to distribute 600 scholarships to Ph.D. students.
For the last two years the ministry is running three scholarships – pre-matric, post-matric and merit-cum-means – for students from the minority communities.
For pre-matriculation scholarships, 25% of the funding is provided by state governments, while 75% from the Centre. For the post-matriculation scholarships going up to Ph.D. level, the entire amount will be given by the Centre.
He also plans to launch big schemes and projects to improve health, sanitation, water, electricity, and education facilities in 90 minority concentrated districts. He has expressed hope that in the next five years, minority communities — Muslims, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians – will see a dramatic difference in the opportunities and amenities available.