Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, hinted at the possibility of extending, with certain conditions, the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Pudhumai Penn Scheme (for higher education assistance) and the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme to benefit students studying in government-aided minority educational institutions.
During a meeting he chaired at the Secretariat in Chennai to review steps being taken towards the welfare of minorities, Mr. Stalin said some “good news” would come in the State budget over including “girl students in classes 6 to 12, who studied in Tamil-medium in government-aided minority educational institutions”.
Mr. Stalin also said the State government would “favourably consider” the extension of the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme to students in Classes 1 to 5, studying in government-aided minority educational institutions in “rural areas”.
At present, the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Pudhumai Penn Scheme is applicable only to girl students, who have studied in classes 6 to 12 in government schools and the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme is applicable to students studying in classes 1 to 5 in government-run schools.
Portal for approvals, appointments
A new portal would be established to grant various approvals, appointments, promotions and transfers for employees of State-aided minority schools, Mr. Stalin said. The web portal, through which applications could be submitted by educational institutions to register and receive the certificate of a minority institution, would be implemented by the end of this month, he said.
The CM also said that the State government would “consider” the possibility of relaxing the upper age limit for candidates for appointment as teachers in State-aided minority institutions. The T.N. government had earlier relaxed the upper age limit to 53 years for general category candidates and 58 years for others.
Mr. Stalin said that necessary approvals for appointments of teaching staff in minority colleges by following the University Grants Commission (UGC) and other government regulations would be issued “within three months”.
Licenses for homes, hostels
The registration and renewal of licenses to run various homes and hostels would be issued soon, on production of all necessary certificates, he said. Mr. Stalin also announced that the revised guidelines for availing of financial assistance for Jerusalem pilgrimages would be issued by the end of this month.
The CM said that restrictions for registering as members in the Christian Priests and Church Employees Welfare Board would be relaxed, and the Board would be established by the end of this month. He also said a virtual interface would be set up through which subsidies could be extended to NGOs.
