Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay proposes changes to allowances in the Self-Employment Scheme.

In today's cabinet meeting, approval was given to improve the allowances under the Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Swavl Scheme for Scheduled Tribe students. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

To facilitate Scheduled Tribe boys and girls in pursuing higher education away from their villages, government hostels have been implemented at the departmental, district, taluka and rural levels by the department. As the number of Scheduled Tribe students enrolling in various courses is increasing, the available capacity in government hostels is becoming insufficient; therefore, from the academic year 2016-17, the “Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Swavl Scheme” is being implemented for Scheduled Tribe students who pursue higher education after class 12 but do not obtain admission in a government hostel.

Under the scheme, Scheduled Tribe students who pursue higher education after class 12 or two‑year or longer professional or technical courses after class 10, but do not obtain admission in government hostels, receive an annual lump‑sum amount for food, accommodation and living allowance at rates fixed by the DBT, deposited directly into their bank accounts. The allowance rates for this scheme were set in 2018 and had not been increased since. Considering the economic condition of tribal students and the inflation index, a decision was taken to revise the allowance amounts. Accordingly, the revised rates will be as follows (old rates in parentheses): for students studying in Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Pimpri‑Chinchwad, Nagpur – food allowance ₹42,000 (₹32,000), accommodation allowance ₹28,000 (₹20,000), living allowance ₹10,000 (₹8,000). Total ₹80,000 (₹60,000).

For students studying in other revenue department headquarters and Class K municipal corporation areas, the food allowance will be ₹37,000 (₹28,000), accommodation allowance ₹21,000 (₹15,000), living allowance ₹10,000 (₹8,000), total ₹68,000 (₹51,000).

For students studying in other district locations, the food allowance will be ₹32,000 (₹25,000), accommodation allowance ₹17,000 (₹12,000), living allowance ₹8,000 (₹6,000), total ₹57,000.

For students studying in other places, the food allowance will be ₹30,000 (₹23,000), accommodation allowance ₹13,000 (₹10,000), living allowance ₹7,000 (₹5,000), total ₹50,000.

In addition, medical and engineering students will receive a one‑time grant of ₹8,000 per year, and students from other streams will receive ₹4,000 per year for academic material.

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