Punjab govt to launch SC post-matric scholarship scheme soon

Patiala (Punjab) [India], October 6 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that the state government would soon introduce a new scholarship scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC) students, here on Tuesday.
"The Chief Minister said the new scheme would give an opportunity to students of weaker sections to pursue higher learning in various streams, which they had been deprived of due to withdrawal of the scholarship scheme by the Government of India. He said the state government was in the process of recasting this scheme with the aim of ensuring that no SC student is deprived of higher education," according to a release by the Punjab Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Singh "also reiterated his government's resolve" to recruit 1 lakh youth in government jobs over the next one and a half year, of which 50,000 will be recruited till March 2021, and another 50,000 by the end of its term, read the release further.
The Punjab Chief Minister was addressing a virtual programme on the culmination of the 6th State Level Mega Rozgar Mela from Patiala, along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Captain Amarinder noted with satisfaction that his government had, in the past 3.5 years, successfully created job opportunities for 13.42 lakh youth through placement and self-employment assistance under the scheme, the release said.
"Of these, 50,000 government and 4.04 lakh private jobs had been given to the youth, besides facilitating nearly 8.80 lakh youth in taking up self- employment ventures," it added.
Gandhi emphasized the need to create "a perfect synergy" between agriculture and industry to ensure balanced economic growth in the country. He said, "instead of bringing the draconian agricultural laws, the Centre should have helped the farmers by creating an excellent infrastructure and system to ensure holistic growth of agriculture."
"They should have focused on the welfare of the farmers by providing them a well-knit network of Mandis and silos for scientific storage of foodgrains," he added. (ANI)