AWARD OF PRIZES

1. (i)        STATE LEVEL PRIZES

Under this scheme two first prizes (one boy and one girl) are awarded for proficiency, each in Twelfth and Tenth Standard at the State Level every year.   The first prize for Twelfth Standard is Rs.3,000/- in the case of Backward Classes and Rs.5,000/- in the case of Most Backward Classes/Denotified Communities.  The first prize for the Tenth Standard is Rs.1500/- in the case of Backward Classes and Rs.3000/- in the case of Most Backward Classes/Denotified Communities.

1. (ii)      DISTRICT LEVEL PRIZES

At the district level two such first prizes (one boy and one girl) for proficiency in Twelfth Standard are being awarded.  The prize is Rs.1,500/- in the case of Backward Classes and Rs.3,000/- in the case of Most Backward Classes/Denotified Communities. Similarly, two first prizes of each Rs.500/- , two-second prizes of  each Rs.250/-  and two third prizes of each Rs.150/- are being awarded to 10th standard  students of Backward Classes. The I, II and III prizes are Rs.1,000, Rs.500 and Rs.300, respectively for Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities. 

A sum of Rs.2.10 lakhs has been provided for the year 2002-2003 for State level and District level Awards.

1. (iii)    PERARIGNAR ANNA MEMORIAL AWARD

Perarignar Anna Memorial Award is awarded at the rate of Rs.3000/- per annum per student for four/five years to two boys and two girls belonging to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes/Denotified Communities, who secure the first and second ranks in the Twelfth Standard Examination in each District and joining Professional Degree Courses.

(iv) THANTHAI PERIYAR MEMORIAL AWARD

Similarly, two boys and two girls belonging to Backward Classes/ Most Backward Classes/ Denotified Communities  who secure highest and next highest marks in Tenth Standard, and get admitted into the Polytechnics in each District are awarded Thanthai Periyar Memorial Award at the rate of Rs.3000/- per annum per student for three years,

A sum of Rs.22.90 lakhs has been provided for Anna and Periyar Memorial Awards for the current year.

(v) INCENTIVES TO MERITORIOUS MOST BACKWARD CLASSES/DENOTIFIED COMMUNITIES BOYS & GIRLS

500 boys and 500 girls who belong to the Most Backward Classes  / Denotified Communities and who secure the highest marks at the state level in the +2 Public Examinations are sanctioned incentives at the rate of Rs.1500/- p.a. to pursue higher studies. The incentives are sanctioned every year to the selected students till the completion of Degree Courses or for a maximum period of five years whichever is less. The scheme is implemented without any restriction on the parental income. A sum of Rs.30.00 lakhs has been allotted for this scheme for the current year.

  HOSTELS  

Out of  972 hostels functioning in the Department, 537 hostels come under the control of Director of Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare and the balance 435 hostels are under the control of Director of Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities.  Totally 52751 students availed themselves of hostel facilities during 2001-2002.  Students with parental annual income up to Rs.50,000/- are admitted in these hostels.  Out of the 972 hostels, 770 hostels are located in rented buildings without adequate basic amenities.  The Government have therefore taken up a massive scheme of construction of own buildings for these 770 hostels.  During 2001‑2002 construction of buildings for 114 hostels has been taken up at a cost of Rs.36.99 crores.  This programme is being continued during 2002-2003. Apart from this, a crash programme to provide basic amenities to the hostels run in Government buildings has been taken up by the  Government. During 2001-2002  electrical renovation work at a cost of Rs.35.77 lakhs was completed in 94 hostels.  It is now proposed to provide drinking water facilities and toilet facilities in the hostels located in own buildings during 2002-2003.

The hostels have been provided with Wet Grinders, Colour T.V.sets (College hostels only), play materials and libraries.  In order to improve the general knowledge of the hostel inmates, one English daily and two Tamil dailies are supplied to these hostels.  The hostel students up to tenth Standard are supplied with free text books under different schemes.   To improve their performance in Public Examinations, the tenth and Plus Two students in the hostels are also supplied with guides for all subjects. A new scheme of supply of woolen sweaters to inmates of hostels in hill areas was  implemented during  2001-2002. In order to ensure proper functioning of these hostels,  Hostel Management Committees have been formed, for each hostel.

FOOD CHARGES AND BOARDING GRANTS

Food charges to College hostel boarders and school hostel boarders  were sanctioned at Rs.400/- and Rs.225/- respectively per month per boarder till 30.9.2001. As the existing rates were considered to be inadequate, the food charges for school hostels were enhanced from Rs.225/- to Rs.300/- per boarder per month with effect from 1.10.2001. A sum of Rs.4194.30 lakhs has been provided for running these hostels for the current year. Boarding Grants are also provided to 39 Government Recognised Private Management Hostels/Homes maintained for the welfare of poor students to meet out the expenses relating to boarding and lodging charges of boarders belonging to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities whose parental annual income does not exceed Rs.50,000/-  A sum of Rs.150/- per month per student for 10 months in a year is being sanctioned. Totally 1720 students were benefited under this scheme during 2001-2002. For the year 2002-2003 a sum of Rs.25.74 lakhs has been provided for this purpose.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Under the New Deal for the economic empowerment of these oppressed classes the scheme of supply of tools, new scheme of supply of sewing machines and Job Oriented training programmes will be implemented effectively.

 SUPPLY OF FREE TOOLS

Brass iron boxes, barber kits and stone cutting tools are supplied free of cost every year to improve the economic conditions of Salavai Thozhilalars, Mudithiruthuvors and Boyars whose annual income is less than Rs.16,000/- in rural areas and Rs.24,000/- in urban areas. A sum of Rs.20.00 lakhs has been provided for this scheme during 2002-2003.

SUPPLY OF SEWING MACHINES

In order to improve the economic conditions of the poor people belonging to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities, the Government have introduced a new scheme of supply of Sewing Machines free of cost during 2001‑2002.  A sum of Rs.30.00 lakhs has been provided for this scheme during 2002-2003.

 SETTING UP OF SALOONS, LAUNDRIES AND MOBILE LAUNDRIES

Financial assistance is provided by the Government for setting up of Saloons, Laundries and Mobile Laundries to members of Most Backward Classes, as detailed below:

 A sum of Rs.2.00 lakhs has been provided during 2002-2003 for this scheme.

TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

SPECIAL COACHING SCHEME FOR ALL INDIA SERVICES

The Special Training Institute started at Chennai for imparting training to bright boys and girls belonging to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities to come out successful in the All India Civil Services Examinations with a strength of 100 students has been merged with the Pre-Examination Training Centre for Adidravidars and Scheduled Tribes and brought under the control of the Anna Institute of Management. A Regional Training Centre is also functioning at Madurai, where coaching is given for 75 students. Boarding charges at the rate of Rs.500 per mensem per student is given in addition to free lodging, coaching and library facilities.  Students belonging to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities, irrespective of parental income are eligible for admission in this Institute.   A sum of Rs.36.85 lakhs has been provided in the Budget for the current year for this training programme.

JOB ORIENTED TRAINING PROGRAMME 

Employment oriented training is provided to the students of Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities to enable them to secure jobs.    This programme is aimed at promoting technological advancement for the graduates and technical skill development for the under graduates and school drop outs.  The training fee is borne by the Government.  Training is provided in the following fields: -

 A sum of Rs.425.57 lakhs has been provided under this scheme for the current year.

ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING TO WOMEN

Under the Entrepreneurial Development Programme, training has been imparted for 7 days through Tamil Nadu Women Development Corporation to 5000 Women belonging to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities including minorities covering all the districts.  It is proposed to provide loan assistance to the tune of Rs.5.00 crores to the trained women for self employment through Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Economic Development Corporation.

HOUSING

Most of the people belonging to the Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities population do not possess houses of their own. This department has implemented a scheme to provide free house sites to these people by acquiring private lands at Government cost.  Under the Scheme of provision of free house sites to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Forward Communities implemented by the Government, even though nearly 1.5 lakh pattas have been issued, hardly 4000 houses have been constructed so far in these sites by the beneficiaries.  Under the New Deal for the development of these oppressed classes, this Government has taken up a massive programme to provide infrastructural facilities like roads, streetlights, water supply and drainage in these sites during 2001‑2002. This programme will be continued during 2002‑2003 also. For this scheme a sum of Rs.360.51 lakhs has been provided for 2002-2003. 

TAMIL NADU BACKWARD CLASSES COMMISSION 

As per the direction of the Supreme Court in the Mandal Commission case,  the Government have constituted  “The Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission"  as a permanent body to examine and to recommend the claims and requests relating to inclusion and exclusion of communities from the list of Backward Classes/Most Backward Classes.  Periodic revision of list of Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes is also entrusted to the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission.  The Commission is now conducting enquires on the representations received from various community organisations and individuals for inclusion of their communities in the list of Backward Classes / Most Backward Classes. The Commission has  received representations seeking inclusion in the list of Backward Classes/Most Backward Classes from 162 communities so far, out of which the Commission has completed the inquiry and submitted its recommendations to the Government which are under examination in respect of 110 communities.  The inquiry is in progress in respect of the remaining communities.