Chennai:
In a bid to aid Adi Dravidar, Scheduled Tribes and converted Chrisitian Adi Dravidar communities in the state in education and employment, Tamil Nadu government today allocated Rs 25 crore to implement various welfare schemes.
The fund will be used for a variety of purposes, including Rs 6.13 crore to train over 5,500 beneficiaries in computer-related skills, and Rs 2.64 crore for coaching about6,000 students to face entrance exams like IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of Technology - Joint Entrance Exam) and AIEEE (All India Engineering Entrance Exam).
The fund has been allocated under Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation Limited (TAHDCO).
The hike will also benefit about 42,000 converted Adi Dravidar Christians without hostels and more than 28,000 students in hostels as their monthly maintenance allowance has been hiked at a total expenditure of Rs 3.53 crore, an official release said.
Another Rs 5 crore will be spent to handpick promising Adi Dravidar students from across the state and admit them in a reputed residential school from Classes 6 to 12.
Funds to the tune of Rs 2.58 crore will be used to train2,350 members of the community in driving at Tamil Nadu Road Transport Corporation facility at Taramani here. The beneficiaries will also be trained to operate construction equipments and to become electricians, mechanics through governments ITIs (Industrial Technical Institutes).
Adi Dravidar youth will be trained to improve their spoken English and soft skills, the release added.
Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation Limited was constituted in 1974 to improve the living conditions of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes by improving their income earning capacities and skills through training programmes.