TIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Twelve new hostels will be built for ST students with Rs 100 crore assistance from the KIIFB, said Minister for SC/ST Welfare A K Balan.“New buildings will be built for hostels functioning in rented buildings. A post-matric hostel for girls which can accommodate 100 persons will be built at Kattela,” he said. The minister was speaking after inaugurating the post-matric hostel of the ST Department at Mannanthala on Monday.
New post-matric and pre-matric hostels for boys and girls, and a new building will be built for the Model Residential School (MRS) at Kuttichal. A new MRS will be built at Aralam, a youth hostel and new blocks for the ITC building will be set up. The government has earmarked more money for food, accommodation, tuition and other facilities for hostel students.
The government aims to ensure education for SC students to equip them to secure good jobs, Balan said.
The backwardness of SC families owing to the lack of land holdings can be overcome through employment. Several skill development courses are being conducted for SC students. About 1,350 candidates will be sent for overseas employment shortly.
Already, 100 youths have been sent to Malaysia, Indonesia and the UAE. Meetings will be held with employers in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman to employ more youths.Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran who presided over the function said several projects are being implemented in the general education and health sectors to uplift the downtrodden. Civil service coaching will be provided to 200 ST students this year. The Civil Services Academy will lead the programme.