Gujarat govt disburses over Rs 1,161cr for students' assistance under 2 key schemes

Gandhinagar, Sep 14 As Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel completed four years in office on September 13, the state government highlighted two flagship education initiatives launched in March 2024—Namo Lakshmi Yojana and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana—aimed at empowering students with financial support, an official said on Sunday.

Under the Namo Lakshmi Yojana, girl students studying in classes 9 to 12 are entitled to financial aid of Rs 50,000 spread over four years to encourage them to complete their schooling.

So far, more than 10.49 lakh girls have received assistance exceeding Rs 1,000 crore through this scheme. A dedicated “Namo Lakshmi Portal” has also been launched to streamline its implementation. The Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana provides students pursuing the science stream in classes 11 and 12 with Rs 25,000 over two years.

Eligible students are those who secure 50 per cent or more in their class 10 board exams and enroll in GSHSEB or CBSE-recognised schools. Since its launch, over 1.50 lakh students have benefited, with disbursals crossing Rs 161 crore. The scheme is being managed through a separate “Namo Saraswati Portal".

Officials said both schemes align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat @2047 vision, aiming to prepare a skilled workforce for Gujarat’s future growth in sectors such as semiconductors, green energy, and digital sciences.

Gujarat has about 34,500 government schools, including nearly 32,000 primary schools, but faces serious gaps in manpower and infrastructure, with 1,606 schools running with just one teacher and over 19,000 teacher posts vacant.

To address this, the state has launched the Mission Schools of Excellence, covering around 40,000 government and grant-in-aid schools, under which more than 13,000 new classrooms have already been built, 31,000 are under construction, and over one lakh smart classrooms and 21,000 computer labs have been set up.

Nearly 98 per cent of schools now have computer facilities and 94 per cent have internet access, while STEM labs and modernised classrooms are being expanded rapidly, aiming to improve both access and quality of education.

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