Bhubaneswar: June 1: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated 200 new hostels for SC and ST students yesterday at a state level function at the state secretariat.
Speaking on the occasion, Naveen said, ‘Education is the only means for tribals and the dalits to join the mainstream of our society. Odisha Government always gives priority to the education of Tribal and Dalit students and the government has set up more than 1600 schools and constructed more than 5000 hostels for them’. He further added, government has also implemented Akankhya and Anwesha schemes to provide opportunity to about 26,000 SC, ST and dalit students to study in public schools in urban areas.
The chief minister also announced that the government has set up 10 Kalinga Model Residential Schools for the poor students of and backward communities in the state, which will be opened from 2018.
In this high level function, Naveen also inaugurated a Programme for distribution of 20000 land pattas to all beneficiaries. SC & ST Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare minister Lal Bihari Himirika, Finance minister Pradip Amat, Excise and Cooperation minister Damodar Rout, Revenue minister Bijayshree Routray, Sports and Youth Affairs minister Sudam Marandi, Housing and Urban Development minister Puspendra Singhdeo, chief secretary, development commissioner and secretaries of the concerned departments were present.
