Bhubaneswar: To ensure comfortable stay of the boarders of the residential schools run by it across Odisha during winter, the ST and SC development department has adopted a novel way of distribution of sweaters to over five lakh students.
The initiative, being carried out for the first time under the Entitlements and Amenities Guidelines of the SC/ST Development, Minorities, and Backward Classes Welfare department, will help 3,28,171 boarders staying in the hostels attached to SSD schools.
Similarly, it will also benefit a total of 1,76,748 students staying in the hostels attached to S&ME department schools in the state, an official release said.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary SC/ST Development, Minorities, and Backward Classes Welfare department Roopa Roshan Sahoo said that in addition to other amenities and entitlements provided to the boarders during previous years, distribution of sweater and casual dress to the ST&SC boarders students have been added during the current year.
Manoharika Pradhan, a student of Class X with Government Girls High School, Raikia in Kandhamal district said this initiative is a welcome gesture by the state government to many students as the winter days in our region is quite challenging. “This will help us all in a great way.”
Another student Papu Kanhar of Class-X with DM High School, Boida in Kandhamal district said “I am extremely happy with this timely gift. This is going to help thousands of students to make their stay comfortable in the hostels during winter.”
