Jammu&Kashmir proposes scholarship for minority students

The Jammu and Kashmir government has submitted a proposal to the centre seeking pre-matric scholarship benefits for students belonging to minority groups, a minister said here.

The proposal projects Rs 2.67 crore as additional expenditure for extending the benefits of scholarship to the fresh chunk of students, the minister for social welfare Sakina Itoo said at a function here yesterday.

Iktoo said the proposal which has been sent to the Union ministry of minority affairs includes students from Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist and Zoroastrian communities. The minister said that the government was committed to provide all possible assistance to the weaker and backward sections of the society.

The minister also called upon the youth from the underprivileged sections to come forward and avail benefits of various welfare schemes launched by the government. He instructed the authorities to ensure speedy disposal of financial assistance cases so that no one faces hardships in getting the benefits due to them and said that the officials need to work with 'missionary spirit' for the welfare of underprivileged and deserving.

The minister also asked the officers of her department to give wide publicity about the departmental schemes so that those who deserve are aware of the opportunities.