Report by Saumya Parida; Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said his government intends to provide skill based training to 1.5 lakh SC boys and girls in the next five years. He said this while addressing SC Welfare Advisory Board Meeting today at here.

Full text of Speech of Hon’ble C.M. for the SC Welfare Advisory Board Meeting 

Hon’ble Minister, ST & SC Development Department, Hon’b|e MPs and
MLAS, other members and officials present in the Meeting. I welcome you all to the SC Welfare Advisory Board Meeting.

Odisha has the unique distinction of having 93 SC communities spread over all our 30 districts. Their contribution to the socio economic development of our State has been significant. However, in spite of a number of development strategies undertaken for them many of the SC families are at the lower rung of the socio-economic ladder and their Human Development indices are lower than the State average.

To address some of the urgent issues relating to the Scheduled Caste communities the State Government has taken up a number of measures.

suggestions today will Under the “Mamata Scheme" direct cash transfer is being made in the bank accounts of pregnant women and mothers. This will enable them to have higher intake of nutritious food during the pregnancy period, thereby reducing Maternal Mortality.
To encourage girls to finish school, all girls and SC/ST boys in the Scheduled Areas studying in Class 10 are given cycles. This will help in bridging the gap between the SC literacy rate and the average literacy rate in the State.

Since many of the SC families find it difficult to provide school uniforms to their children, the State Govt. has taken a decision to provide uniforms to all SC/ST boys and girls till Class 8. Uniforms are also given to all SC/ST boys and girls reading in Class 9 and 10 in ST & SC Development Department schools.

A special drive has been taken up to identify SC boys and girls and upgrade their skills through placement linked employability training. The State Govt. intends to provide skill based training to 1.5 lakh SC boys and girls in the next five years which will help them to get jobs.

We have taken a decision to enhance the Pre-Matric Scholarship amount to Rs. 620/- per month for boys and Rs. 650/- for girls w.e.f. 01.07.2012.

A large number of hostels are under construction in the KBK districts for SC and ST students to arrest the dropout rate. This intervention will be intensified further with more number of hostels to ensure enrollment and access of SC and ST children to institutions of Higher Education. Under the School Certificate Programme, steps have been taken to issue caste and other certificates to eligible SC students in schools. Priority is being given to SC/ST inhabited hamlets for construction of cement concrete village roads.

We have decided to open legal aid cells in all 314 blocks with two legal retainers who will provide legal assistance to SC / ST beneficiaries free of cost. Legal retainers have been appointed in 227 blocks. This is likely to provide substantial relief to SC families in accessing legal assistance.

I again take this opportunity to welcome all of you to this meeting. Your definitely strengthen our efforts towards the development of the Scheduled Caste communities of Odisha.