Updated on: Friday, May 10, 2013
Tamil Nadu government doubled the financial assistance given to differently-abled students studying in schools and colleges in the state.
Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced the government's decision, would benefit 23,454 differently-abled students in the state.
While students in Class one to five would get Rs 1,000, Class six to Class eight would secure Rs 3,000 and Class nine to Class 12 Rs 4,000.
As for students in colleges, under graduate students would get Rs 6,000 and post graduate students Rs 7,000.
"The decision would cost Rs 3.6 lakh to the exchequer," she said.
The government also extended the number of beneficiaries getting petrol scooters from 400 to 1,000 at a cost of Rs 5.50 crore, she said.
Jayalalithaa also doubled the Readers Allowance given to visually-challenged students in the state, who were getting Rs 3,000 earlier.
"This would benefit 1,500 visually-challenged students and would cost Rs 19 lakh to the exchequer," she said.