PANAJI: The social welfare department has decided to extend the Indira Bal Rath Yojana to the students of scheduled castes from the next financial year.

The Social Welfare Minister, Mr Ramkrishna Dhavalikar informed that the government would now extend the scheme to the SC students from the new financial year. He said that schools having SC student strength of 10 per cent or more can apply for the same.

Under the Indira Bal Rath Yojana the government has already spent Rs 12.84 crore to provide bus services to 106 schools having 10 per cent students from scheduled tribes.

Sources in the social welfare department informed that so far 106 buses have been provided to schools while the government has placed order for 14 more buses which would be delivered shortly. The sources said that applications are still pouring in, which would be processed only from the next financial year.

He said the government has paid over Rs 10 lakh per bus and has to spend on the maintenance and fuel cost, besides salaries of the drivers etc.

Mr Dhavalikar disclosed that the government has also proposed a similar scheme for the students from other backward classes and schools having OBC student strength of 20 per cent would be eligible for the scheme, which has been proposed to be named as Gomant Bal Rath Yojana.

The Social Welfare Minister informed that the government has also formulated 18 new schemes for the SC, ST and OBC communities in the new financial year. However, he said the details of the new schemes would be provided later.

Goa has a very small population of SC community in the state, which accounts for less than 2 per cent of the total state’s population.

Meanwhile, the separate tribal welfare department, which was formed after pressure from various ST bodies, is preparing to function with the government making a provision of Rs 13 crore.

The sources informed that the department could get more funds from the Centre after a meeting with the Planning Commission which is scheduled for next month.