India News | Financial Independence Important

Chennai, Feb 8 (PTI) Financial independence is important for women and by using indestructible assets of education and talent, women should lead their lives with individual, distinctive identities, Chief Minister M K Stalin said here on Wednesday.

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Launching the second phase of the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Pudhumai Penn Scheme at the Hindu College near here, Stalin said 1.16 lakh girl students have so far been benefited by the initiative.

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During the past five months, Rs 69.44 crore has been provided for the scheme. "This scheme's biggest victory is that as many as 12,000 girl students, who were on the verge of discontinuing their studies (after school) due to financial status in their families, are continuing their education (in colleges)."

In the second phase, Stalin extended the scheme to 1,04,347 more beneficiaries. He gave bank debit cards to 10 students marking the inauguration of the second phase of the scheme and interacted with them.

Girls who would otherwise discontinue education after school now enroll in college courses, leading to educational growth in Tamil Nadu, gender equality, decline in child marriages and women empowerment. "That is the Dravidian model governance, you should understand it." He appealed to girl students to learn well, pursue higher education and embark on research of a subject and take up right jobs.

"Financial independence is important for women," he said adding women should utilise appropriate employment opportunities. By using indestructible assets of education and talent, women should lead their lives with individual, distinctive identities, he said.

A total of 1,56,016 students has been benefited under the scheme, out of which those belonging to the Backward Classes are 48,660 and 50,550 from Most Backward Classes and 44,880 Scheduled Castes and 1,900 belong to the Scheduled Tribes.

Under the scheme, financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month is deposited in the beneficiary student's bank account. Girls who studied in government schools from Class 6 to 12 are eligible and the aid is provided till their completion of undergraduate degree, diploma, ITI or any other recognised course. Encouraging girl students to take up courses in colleges (enhancing the Gross Enrolment Ratio-GER) following completion of school education is the key goal of the Pudhumai Penn Scheme.

Ministers K Ponmudi (Higher Education) P Geetha Jeevan (Social Welfare and Women Rights) and top government officials participated.

Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar was a woman leader of the Dravidian movement who championed the cause of women's rights, social justice. The Dharmamurthi Rao Bhahadur Calavala Cunnan Chetty's Hindu College at suburban Pattabiram is popularly known as Hindu College.

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