Pudhumai Penn scheme: 67% beneficiaries spent aid on education, reveals Tamil Nadu Planning Commission Study
It has also contributed to a 30% increase in the Gross Enrolment Ratio of women in higher education in the State, the study said
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CHENNAI: As many as 67% of the female college students benefitting from the Pudhumai Penn scheme spent the monthly aid of Rs 1,000 received from the State government on their education, revealed a study done by the State Planning Commission.
The comprehensive study, a report on which is nearing completion, has also found that the scheme, officials called Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme, has also contributed to a 30% increase in the Gross Enrolment Ratio of women in higher education in the State.
The scheme, which is a modification of the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Marriage Assistance Scheme, provides a monthly aid of Rs 1,000 to girl students who had studied from classes 6 to 12 in government-run schools and are pursuing higher education.
The study, which was also discussed in the meeting of the State Planning Commission chaired by Chief Minister MK Stalin at the secretariat on Tuesday, also presented some interesting facts on the demographic profile of the beneficiaries.
Highly placed government sources told DT Next that most of the additional 30 per cent girl students pursuing higher education after the scheme’s launch belonged to OBC, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.
“The sample study also showed that the girls would not have pursued higher education but for the cash support provided by the State government. The aid provided them the freedom to do that. As many as 67 per cent of the students surveyed for the study revealed that they spent the monthly aid only on education,” an official privy to the study disclosed.
Since its launch on September 5, 2022, the scheme has benefitted about 3,28,280 girl students so far. The government spent Rs 100.11 crore and Rs 271.66 crore for the education assurance scheme in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 fiscals. Of the Rs 370 crore allocated for the current fiscal, the State government has spent Rs 95.61 crore between April and July.
Chief Minister Stalin would launch the Tamil Pudhalvan scheme, an extension of the Pudhumai Penn scheme for male students, in Coimbatore on August 9.