Chandigarh: Haryana will provide free school bags to the students belonging to Scheduled Castes studying in first to eighth standards in government schools.

Education Minister Mange Ram Gupta today said that an amount of Rs 7.05 crore has been earmarked for the purpose under a scheme for the current annual plan 2007-08.

Out of 7.05 lakh students belonging to Scheduled Castes, 4.98 lakh students from class I to V and 2.07 lakh students from class VI to VIII would benefit from the scheme, he said.

Under a separate scheme, a sum of Rs 300 would be given to each girl student from class I to V, and girls studying in class VI to VIII would get Rs 500 each, he said.

A total outlay of Rs 11.98 crore has been approved for this scheme and nearly 3.5 lakh girls would benefit from it, the minister said.

Mange added that the government would give scholarship of excellence to such Scheduled Castes students who excel in academic and extra-curriculum activities.

Source : PTI