Ranchi
The Jharkhand Budget proposes elementary education in mother tongue in 1000 ‘new schools’ spread over 7 districts across the State, next fiscal. During 2023–24, the State government had introduced this scheme in 259 schools on an experimental basis. Enthused by the outcomes, it has been decided to expand it further.
Soon after the Rs 1,28,900-crore budget for 2024-25 was laid in the Jharkhand Assembly by Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon, Chief Minister Champai Soren held a meeting with Tribal Welfare Minister Dipak Birua and senior officials of education and tribal welfare department in his Assembly office to work out effective ways and means for smooth execution of this project.
The budgetary estimates for fiscal year 2024-25 are up by over 10% from the previous annual (2023-24) financial statement when the JMM-led coalition government had presented a budget of ₹1.16 lakh crore.
Further, to encourage tribal youths to extract benefits of higher and technical education, the Manki Munda scholarship scheme has been introduced. Under this scheme, the ones pursuing diploma courses will be getting financial aids to the tune of Rs 15,000 per annum and the ones going for degree courses will be availing Rs 30,000 per annum. And, those going abroad for higher education will continue getting benefits of Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship Scheme.
These apart, separate hostels for boys and girls, equipped with modern amenities too is proposed to come up in various cities across the State. Apparently, because there is another proposal to set up new colleges in the hinterlands.
To preserve and enrich the indigenous culture, Akhras would be set up in the tribal-dominated villages across the state. They will also be provided traditional musical instruments.
The new Jharkhand Budget also proposes improving health care, irrigation, drinking water and several such other basic amenities in the villages and semi-urban localities across the State. If executed honestly, these may be playing vital roles in ensuring tribal employment in the coming days, officials said.
MEANWHILE
Among the other most notable announcements in the Budget was increasing the loan waiver amount of farmers from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2,00,000.
