SC women to undergo driving, nursing training: Minister Nagarjuna

Secretariat (Velagapudi): Minister for social welfare Meruga Nagarjuna said that various welfare programmes are being planned at a cost of Rs 135 crore, which include providing loans through SC Corporation to the students, who wish to study abroad.

Reviewing the implementation of various welfare schemes at the Secretariat here on Wednesday, the Minister said that out of the Central funds, 57 per cent should be spent on income-generating schemes, 10 per cent for skill development and 30 per cent for the construction of buildings.

As part of the skill development, the women belonging to the Scheduled Castes would be given training in driving heavy vehicles to enable them to drive buses. After training they will be appointed as drivers in the state road transport corporation (RTC). The women would be taught driving in RTC training centres. The minister said that keeping in view the demand for nurses in the country and abroad, the SC women will be provided nursing training in private corporate hospitals. He referred to the demand in United Kingdom for 10,000 nurse posts there.

He instructed the officials to increase the loan component through SC Corporation from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 16 lakh to purchase vehicles as part of the employment schemes. He said people belonging to SC category should also be given loans to undertake commercial activities.

The minister said that loan amount of Rs 20 lakh would be provided to the SC students to purse post-graduation in overseas universities while as Rs 15 lakh in the country.

Social welfare secretary MM Nayak, director K Harshavardhan, Gurukul secretary Pavana Murthy, LIDCAP VC and MD Dola Sankar, SC Corporation general manager Karuna Kumari and others were present.