On the seventh of every month, girl students who are pursuing their higher education under the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education scheme in Tamil Nadu can avail Rs 1,000 as a cash incentive, which will be credited to their bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). They don’t have to wait till the completion of their undergraduate course to withdraw the fund.
As per a recent GO (Government Order) issued by Shambu Kallolikar, Additional Chief Secretary, Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department, “The higher education department should certify the continuance of education of the students, once every six months, on June 30 and December 31.”
The Director of the Social Welfare Department is the nodal officer for implementing the scheme, stated a report in The New Indian Express.
The marriage assistance scheme named after social activist Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar was turned into a higher education assurance scheme to promote the enrollment of girls in higher education.
Under the revised scheme, girl students who studied from Classes VI to XII in government schools are eligible for a cash incentive of Rs 1,000 per month until completion of their undergraduate courses without any break. For the year 2022-23, Rs 698 crore was allotted for the scheme.
While listing out the modalities to be followed for implementing the scheme, the GO said state-level bankers’ committees and lead banks in districts should ensure that students availing the benefit should be provided with zero balance and zero frills bank accounts. "The students should be provided with debit cards for withdrawing the cash," the order said.
Kallolikar said the implementation of the scheme — from enrollment of students to releasing the cash benefit to them — should be carried out entirely online without any manual intervention.
