New Delhi, April 25: Central Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Virendra Kumar, announced that over 7.5 million Scheduled Caste beneficiaries received educational support amounting to ₹7,981.47 crores for the year 2025-26. This information was provided by an official.
The ministry stated that there has been a consistent positive increase in expenditures under Scheduled Caste welfare schemes, including a 21% rise in the pre-matric scholarship scheme for Scheduled Castes and others.
According to the government’s statement, there has been an 11.23% increase in the post-matric scholarship scheme for Scheduled Castes compared to the financial year 2024-25. Additionally, there was a 13.5% rise in the central sector scholarship for higher education for Scheduled Caste students and a 16% increase in the residential education scheme (Shreshtha) for high school students in targeted areas.
Virendra Kumar emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring inclusive development and social justice for all sections of society through targeted interventions and welfare initiatives.
He noted that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is focusing on the upliftment of various societal groups, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), senior citizens, individuals affected by substance abuse, transgender persons, those engaged in begging, non-notified and nomadic tribes (DNT), manual scavengers, sanitation workers (including waste pickers), and the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) through the implementation of various acts and welfare schemes.
In another statement, the ministry reported that under the Narcotics-Free India Campaign (NMBA), over 83 million activities have been conducted at various levels, including educational institutions, raising awareness about substance abuse among more than 260 million people. This includes over 950 million youths, more than 647 million women, and over 28,000 skilled volunteers.
The NMBA was launched by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment on August 15, 2020, in 272 identified sensitive districts and has now been extended to all districts across the country as of August 15, 2023.
The campaign aims to reach the community and spread awareness about substance abuse.
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