After introducing free nutritious noon meal and breakfast for school students in the State, the Government of Tamil Nadu launched on Monday another innovative scheme which is expected to benefit 31.11 lakh students. Hereafter students in Government run schools, polytechniques, ITIs and arts and science colleges can commute freely in Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses to attend their classes. They are being provided with Smart Cards which enable them to commute to schools/colleges and back free of cost in TNSTC buses.
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa inaugurated the scheme on Monday by distributing smart cards to five selected students from schools and colleges in the State. The selected students were summoned to Fort Saint George (Tamil Nadu Government’s seat of power) where Jayalalithaa handed over them the smart cards.
A release issued by the Government said all students in schools, Government arts and science colleges, Government-run ITIs and polytechniques would be benefited by this scheme which is expected to cost the exchequer `504.31 crore.
The release also said that the Jayalalithaa-led Government has been implementing various schemes to ensure that students from poor economic background get education without any break. It pointed out that students in the State have been provided with bicycles, laptops with free internet connectivity, nutritious breakfast and meals and also education equipment like school bags and instrument boxes. The AIADMK Government has also launched free sanitary napkin scheme for girl students.
The 2016 Assembly election manifesto of the AIADMK had promised a number of scheme to student community in the State including waiver of education loans for those who availed the loan and failed to get employment.