Chennai: Tamil Nadu govt on Thursday announced higher food and maintenance allowances for students in hostels run by social justice department, allocating ₹200 crore for the measures. The govt has also decided to set up a social justice welfare board to provide financial assistance to dalits for education, medical care and marriages. A women’s college would also be opened in Chennai through TN Waqf Board.Social justice minister Vanni Arasu told the assembly that the monthly food allowance for school hostel students would increase from ₹1,400 to ₹1,800, while that for college hostel students would rise from ₹1,500 to ₹2,000.Annual maintenance grants for school hostels have been raised from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000, while grants for college hostels have doubled from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh. The increases are aimed at improving food quality and basic facilities, particularly for students from disadvantaged and marginalised communities.Vanni Arasu made 67 announcements in total, including the construction of 150 social justice hostels at ₹160 crore and the establishment of a tribal cultural centre to expand research activities of Tribal Research Centre in Nilgiris.Minorities welfare minister A M Shahjahan announced 11 measures, including a college of arts and science for women in Chennai. The college would be opened through the Waqf Board at a cost of ₹2 crore, he said. Shahjahan said community halls would be opened in Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Krishnagiri districts, which have high Muslim populations, at ₹10 crore.Govt will pay education fees for girl students from the community pursuing higher studies in govt, aided and private colleges to improve their socio-economic status. It has allocated Rs 20 crore for the scheme.Backward classes and most backward classes welfare minister V Sampath Kumar announced 18 measures, including constructing buildings for 14 college hostels currently operating from rented premises. The department will also procure inverters, refrigerators and water purifiers for 960 social justice hostels at ₹25 crore.
