Jaipur: The state govt has transferred Rs 482 crore to 66 lakh students through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to support their education, including assistance for uniforms and school bags, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said Tuesday.He said 3.63 lakh girls had received Rs 109 crore under the Gargi award scheme.Addressing a talent development camp at Adarsh Vidya Mandir in Jaipur, Sharma said educating girls has been high on his agenda.“Daughters are the strength of society and the nation. When girls receive education, respect and equal opportunities, the entire family and society progresses,” he said, crediting the Centre’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign with changing social attitudes towards girls’ education.Under the state scheme, students in Classes I to VIII and girls in Classes IX to XII in govt schools receive Rs 800 each for uniforms and school bags. Of this, around Rs 250 crore has been transferred to nearly 41.56 lakh students in Classes I to VIII for free uniforms, Sharma said.He said smart classrooms had been established in more than 4,000 schools and digital libraries in 500 PM Shri schools. Govt had also distributed over eight crore textbooks, 14 lakh bicycles and 88,000 tablets during the past two academic sessions. Another 4.41 lakh students received free admission under the Right to Education Act.More than three lakh girls had received Rs 158 crore under the Balika Protsahan Puraskar scheme, while sanitary pad vending machines had been installed in over 4,000 govt schools, he said.On women’s empowerment, Sharma said 25 lakh women had received training through Rajeevika and more than 20 lakh had become ‘Lakhpati Didis’. He urged girl students to benefit from govt schemes and help at least 10 other women access them.
